Telltales of a Storyteller
by alkatie
Summary: She only knew him from Borussa's constant complains and the legends. Now she had to travel with that foolish, timetodd-behaving murderer and his beloved humans in that old Type 40 through the universe. She still prefers it to the loneliness of being the only one left of her kind. AU-Collection with another Time Lady. An old, stuffy Time Lady. Oh Joy! (unbetaed) New Chapter:14
1. Prologue: Awakening

**A/N:** This fic is currently under reconstruction and there will be some confusion in the timeline. The author notes at the end of the chapters may change, and chapters may disappear or randomly pop out of nowhere. Thank you for still sticking with me, I and my new beta will give our very best.

Thanks to Shivver for encouraging me to publish this collection.

 **Disclaimer:** Doctor Who and its characters are owned by BBC and its creators. I don't profit in any form from writing this (other than having fun).

 **Prologue: Awakening**

(Between S5, Ep. 2 and 3)

 _For thousand years she had slept. Now she had to find her way back…  
Just to realize there was nowhere to go anymore._

-o0O0o-

Everything. Lack of far, of near, of could be, would be, should be, never be future. Lack of repeating, of far, of between, of forgotten and remembered past. Of could be, should be, would be, never had happened. Just the present. Everything is happening, was happening, and will happen now.

This is Time.

Time doesn't pass. It exists all at once. The present is eternal. Future and past are only constructs of life. A structure relative to an individual point of view, moving through life and experiencing one possible moment after another, influenced by decisions and fate.

And the realisation that this had been a thought. There had been one again and again and again. Proceeding like that would lead to an endless chain of repeating the same conclusion over and over for all eternity.

But wasn't this eternity anyway? The slow manifestation of the fact, of the existence of thoughts, of a consciousness. And the consciousness slowly realised the awareness for the experience of the surrounding time. There was an entity, a consciousness floating in the eternity of the present. Everywhere, every time, all at once and still nowhere. There was will, should, would: an eternity of possibilities, of feelings or the lack of them. There was will, should, would, could be, what, who, when: existing or not, between a never-ending number of beings, places, and time.

Then there was _something_. Existing everywhere, just like the consciousness but not as shattered and lost. No, this _something_ was a constant, and could be everywhere but it wasn't. It wasn't only in the present. It was aware of all aspects of time, able to differ and move. Alive.

It took the consciousness, it carefully nudged and offered help, and the consciousness clawed into the _something_. A drowning man in a crowd sharing his fate always pushed everybody else under, just to get a hold of desired air. With the same ruthlessness born out of despair, the consciousness ignored the screams of anger, pain, betrayal, and pulled up, leaving bloody marks on the saving lifeline. Pulled, pushed, clawed, climbed, and followed until the sea of moments down there became tinier and tinier, until a pattern became more and more visible. First, the fabric of time itself webbed carefully: constantly renewing and changing, yet so beautiful. Then time strings, the general directions, tied together by fixed points. The consciousness followed the _something_ into one particular, one full of pain and curiosity. The one where a Time Lord stole a TARDIS and ran away. The one full of scars and scattered fringes which indicated a war, with time itself used as a weapon.

And it was the right one, the consciousness was sure of it. There were memories of a time war in its depths. As they both neared themselves, one possibility after another shattered, they didn't disappear but the consciousness… she was able to differ between the ones currently happening and the ones that didn't. She. Her species only had two genders, although she was able to change into the other one but only while dying. No, _regenerating_. Although, it was basically one and the same but not quite. Time Lords were able to die, well and truly die. The event was very unlikely, but it happened. Everything ended after all.

 _Time Lords._ With the name of her species, another name came to mind and she wanted to scream it into time itself. She was so happy to remember her own name again. But then only through the existence of this idea, she suddenly saw terrible things happen in the future, and she painfully remembered why a Time Lord was able to say their name only once in their life without any danger coming from it. So she never did. Instead, she ruled out every timeline where she was anything other than a member of this Gallifreyan species. Just a body with four limbs, two legs and arms, two hands with five fingers each including a thumb (oh, how she loved thumbs), and two feet with five toes each. One joint in each limb called knees and elbows. A head with hair and a face, two eyes as optical sensors, two ears, a mouth with teeth and a tongue, and one nose in the middle of the face (above the mouth and between the eyes). Warm and soft skin, but which colour? What about her hair and her eyes?

Apparently it had to wait until they had it down to the current timeline. Timelines, actually. She always saw more than one, even when she knew exactly which one was the current one. Losing herself into the depths of time so she even forgot which time was the right one only happened whenever she regenerated.

Oh.

 _Oh, please, no!_ She liked her last body, thank you very much.

Now she had no idea what she looked like, and that was a big problem because it normally helped her to stay in touch with the current timeline. What if she accidently followed the wrong one now? Lady Storyteller sighed, then smiled. Storyteller. Her new name.

 _Storyteller_ , repeated the Thing. The TARDIS.

Surprised, Lady Storyteller let go for a second. But it was enough, and the wounded, bitter Time Being left.

"NO!" She whispered, screamed and begged in all times. She wasn't ready to be on her own, not yet. She didn't even know which of the voices leaving her mouth was her own. She didn't knew her own voice.

"Please!"

She could have been gentler, would have been gentler if she had known. Known the _something_ was _someone_ , a living being, a wonder created by her people. Known what she— _who_ Lady Storyteller was.

There were screams. Definitely one, sometimes two or more beings, but all of them shouting at the TARDIS.

For the first time, Lady Storyteller opened her eyes. There were still too many timelines trying to manifest in her sight and the overlaying of them made her dizzy, but she was lying on the floor in a room somewhere. White or orange or made of a coral structure, but surprisingly constant. The inner of a TARDIS, probably _the_ TARDIS. The one she had accidently hurt.

There was a man. His facial features and clothing changed periodically but he always yelled at the TARDIS in a foreign language while running towards her, a desperate look on his face and his hand reaching out to her.

A Time Lord, just like her. Something terrible had to have happened if anyone of her species ever allowed themself to show such an expression of panic. She lifted herself onto her elbow and stretched out her hand when she realised his fading colours.

"NO!"

She forced herself to stand up, stumbling forward to him but he was gone before they could reach each other, and she was left behind as the TARDIS dematerialised around her.

-o0O0o-

This was not Gallifrey. The environment of her home was strictly controlled, turned into an artificial fix point so nobody turned mad with the possibilities of various environmental states, unlike whatever she was standing on now. It was a strange phenomenon of time but as long as one stayed in one time string, the positions of places never changed. They either existed or not. They can change appearances, sure, but they always stayed where they were.

Still, she needed a fix point. She took a step and hissed in pain, letting herself slump to the bottom. This was an emergency and there was no time to care for her appearance. She was alone anyway. Her boots were far too small so she was able to shove away the timelines where they fitted, which narrowed the remaining timelines down to ten. That was a number she could work with.

The problem of her boots and the rest of her clothing remained. She currently looked like an adult wearing children's clothing, if an officer's uniform counted as that. Disturbingly, it wasn't as ill-fitting as she expected it to be. Either she regenerated into a very young-looking person or she was shorter this time. Being used to always having an impressive body height, she caught herself hoping it was the former. As uncomfortable as her clothing was, the boots were still a clear annoyance. She was a Time Lady, however, and members of her species didn't walk around barefooted. It hurt a lot to keep them on, so she closed her eyes and sighed. She was abandoned on some rock that only time itself knew when and where. There was certainly more dignity in standing barefooted than being covered in dust and unable to walk. She carefully slipped out of her boots and massaged her feet to ease the pain. She shoved four other timelines away in which she decided to keep those things on (too many if she was honest), selected another one where she had a ring on her left finger, pushed it away and froze.

She never wore a ring, but that didn't mean she did not own any jewellery. Frightened, her hand glided slowly to her collar and clasped around the golden pendant on the fine necklace. This time she wasn't able to hold back a tiny sob. Thank the Guardians! She quickly reached on the back of her neck and unclasped the necklace, before carefully examining her precious treasure. Still the same symbol on the front, and still the same inscription on the back.

 _Although they had every right to take it, they didn't._ The thought surprised her.

Who were they? Her mind didn't provide an answer, so she shrugged it off and placed the jewellery around her neck once more. She stroked her hair out of her face and stood up, brushing the dirt from her uniform and turned around. All timelines somehow indicated a human colony, sometimes by a silver dome on the horizon, sometimes by bare lands, wasted by a terrible war, or fields growing crops. If she was able to reach that colony, perhaps…

She stepped onto something cold and metallic: a fob watch. She bent down and picked it up by its chain. The golden metal was engraved with calligraphic script, constructed to please the eyes and not to be read. The back was plain except for three contact points. A Chameleon Arch. The device that held her mind prisoner for more than _thousand_ years. But she just regenerated…

 _Those lazy, oath-breaking half-bloods!_ She released an earth-shattering scream, causing some of the winged creatures on the trees to flee. Of course, they were going to flee.

Everything fled before her. Everything was scared of her.

The council had known. They knew that regeneration sickness affected her differently than other Time Lords. They knew that she lost herself in time, that she needed assistance, or at least Gallifrey itself under her feet to come back. Still, they hadn't allowed her to recover but simply shoved her into the Arch. They never planned to release her again. They were too scared of her.

Of course, that's why the other one left her behind, too. The second the TARDIS found out her name, who Lady Storyteller had been before the war, the time machine told him and he left.

She took a calming breath and opened the device. The clockwork still worked, so at least it had some use other than remind her to never trust anyone again. She stuffed the watch into a pocket and stared at the sky. Although she wasn't able to see the stars in broad daylight, she was able to listen to their song. The eternal music of the spheres.

She frowned. Whenever the council sent her on a mission during the war, she always took pride in finding her home's direction just by listening to the movement of the universe. She even taught it to others, but now… something was wrong. The time war devastated whole quadrants of this universe, so of course it sounded different. The Time Lady tried again and there, the Minyan constellation of Kasterborous. On the other corner of the universe.

How for time's sake was she going to find a way to get there?

 _What in the name of…_

Something was wrong, terribly wrong. The Home Constellation was out of turn, unbalanced. It stumbled sometimes, not very often but often enough to recognize a gaping hole in it, not big but enough to cause a slight disharmony. It had been hurt, terribly hurt, but had enough time to heal. Like a dancer breaking their ankle but able to continue their profession after a long recovery, coming to terms and adapting their choreography to steps they were still able to perform, although they sometimes limped.

There was a whole planet missing. Lady Storyteller closed her eyes and concentrated. She searched for the comforting tune, the song she was able to recognise everywhere. It wasn't there.

Gallifrey.

 _Gallifrey_ wasn't there.

Down from the depths of her mind rose a memory, what was left of the mind of an obedient and dutiful Kapoaka. The memory of an old man—no—Time Lord with short and curly silver locks accompanied by a human girl with dark skin and black hair, and a petite but graceful Time Lady who stood before the gathered crowd in the assembly hall of the colony and told about the last day of the Great Time War. How the Daleks had perished. How they had taken Gallifrey with them.

Now, with the colony gone, she and the Time Lord who abandoned her on this place were most certainly the only ones of her species left. A bitter laugh escaped her. That certainly hadn't gone as planned by those fools. She told them the resurrection of Rassilon wasn't a good idea, but they never listened to her. They only used her abilities, not her advice.

She closed her eyes to concentrate on that twitching nerve in the back of her brain, searching for the lights indicating the other members of her species but there was only one. Only one left, one and a half to be exact which was strange, but she didn't search any further. _Probably another one locked in a pocket watch._

Her priority was to contact the one with the TARDIS, to convince him that she meant no harm. Out of instinct she reached into her pocket, searching for the white squares to form a cube, and growled in annoyance. Until half an hour ago she had been anything but a Time Lady, so why did she even expect to have something like that with her?

 _So, that human colony then._ She only took a few steps when suddenly, there was a strange noise sending shivers down her neck. A TARDIS engine.

An old, rusty TARDIS engine, the pilot having no idea how to handle her, if the screeching sound of the transmission was any indication. Perhaps the silly rumours of a telepathic connection between Time Lords other than just the ability of recognising a member of the same species were true, or he truly came back for her.

She arranged her face into the mask she had worn her whole lives, appropriate for a lady of her standing and waited. She watched as the outline of a blue wooden box with a blinking light, decorated with white panels and alien script slowly materialised. She knew that characteristic fading in and out: a Type 40. This TT should be in a museum, not in active duty, although it warmed her heart to see one of this legendary model again.

Apparently a young Time Lord escaped the time lock by simply taking the next travelling device at hand, which happened to be an old museum piece. Nobody who graduated the academy, or at least not for long, was able to torment a poor TARDIS like that. It was an excellent plan as all TTs had been grounded except the museum pieces because nobody expected them to be functional anymore. Whoever was in there had no idea how to fly a TARDIS properly, but they at least had a quick mind.

The landing drum pounded and silence stretched itself for a few seconds before a door opened with a screeching. The nerve in the back of her brain switched, indicating that this was the other one indeed. The first thing she noticed was his enormous chin and his fluffy, longer hair. He had a flat nose and big, old green eyes. His clothing was alien and as improper as hers, trousers a bit too short, a shirt, strange red bands over his shoulders clasped to his trousers, a short brown jacket and a… ribbon around his neck?

His eyes were old enough to easily be in the second part of his regeneration cycle, but he fidgeted with his hands and eyed her warily like a sixty-year-old as he slowly approached her. She didn't move and simply waited, watching him. He stopped and scratched his head, eying her unbelievingly, letting the silence stretch out into awkwardness. She tilted her head to the side, studying him as blunt as he did to her.

He blushed and fingered with that thing around his neck, straightenig it.

"Hello." His voice was uncertain but hopeful.

She bowed, her upper body moving down exactly thirty degrees while her gaze never left his, her hand in the correct position before her belly.

"Luck and precious times, Milord."

He blushed, "No, no need to be so formal. I'm the Doctor. Just Doctor, without Lord or anything."

The Doctor.

Of course. Who else? That TARDIS and his clothing should have been a dead giveaway. He refused to dress himself properly even while being the president of Gallifrey after all.

She had never met that living annoyance personally. She only knew him from Borusa's constant complaints and the legends of the Time War, but they were enough. In comparison to his crimes, her doing was a harmless, little joke. He had done it.

He had killed them, killed them all and destroyed home. This Thing before her was the reason the constellation of Kasterborous limped, of her never being able to hear her beloved Gallifrey sing again. And now she had to travel with that foolish murderer and his beloved humans in that old, Mack III Type 40 across the universe.

Still, deep down inside her two hearts she still preferred this to the loneliness of being the only one left of her kind and it made her sick. However, being a member of the noble race of the Time Lords, she pushed the wrath and bloodthirst down, and nodded instead.

"Lady Storyteller. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

His wide gleam nearly made her vomit.

* * *

 **AN:** I present to you the first meeting between the Doctor and Tella. Yes, she's very cross with him and it needs some time for her to calm down. I wasn't sure to post this chapter yet, because it heavily draws on a fic called Leviathan which I haven't published or even fully written down, yet .  
Next chapter we will see the events through Amy's eyes and she will recall what happened previously so it won't be a problem.

As I already mentioned, this fic is currently under reconstruction. This started out as a little experiment, with another Timelord reacting to things happening in the show, just some one shots, but it turned into this big Tale of Lady Storyteller and the Doctor. No there is no Pairing between them, they even have issues to become friends, but I think that's the charm with her. I'll try to be as fast with adding the new stuff as possible.  
This is a collection of one-shots and a few drabbles, also it is not a complete rewrite of the Show because Tella is not always in the TARDIS and I'll follow her.  
This is also a time for a warning. Tella is in the first part of this fict a war veteran, dealing with her trauma. So this fict is rated T for PTSD and also some bloody or/and violent scenes and sometimes death and insanity. And general Doctor-Who-ness. I think I still give a warning whenever something at leat in my view rather triggering is happening.

I hope you have fun reading this fic (as I am having fun writing it).

Thanks to SeleneAlice for also favoring and BloodyGrim for following this collection.

Chimmicherry, thank you sooo much. Tella is the first OC I ever published on the internet and I'm so happy that you like her so far. I admit, I'm really concerned for her turning into a Mary Sue with the stunts she pulls sometimes, but your review absolutely made my day!

Again, I apologize for the chaos in the following few posts. I hope you enjoy it nevertheless.

Greetings

alkatie

04062017


	2. to a new World

Disclaimer: I don't own the TARDIS. Only a cookie jar of the same design.

 **To a New World**

(Between S5, Ep. 2 and 3)

-o0O0o-

 _Amy and the Doctor ponder their new possibilities._

-o0O0o-

Amy Pond felt unsure. She had signed up for a mad adventure but she never thought it would be like this. The adventure on Starship UK had been fun despite it being scary and nerve-tingling. Those people were still human. She knew how to handle them and what to expect of them.

The Starship Leviathan was a different story.

Everything Amy ever knew was completely useless. Hell, even the Doctor had been useless. A disease turning a body against itself, allowing a person to die while remaining fully conscious, and desperate alien scientists trying to find a cure so complex that not even the Doctor could understand it. The well-kept secret of their Commander—who turned out to be the same species as the Doctor—Kelliox. All the deaths from the disease, from the attack of the pirates as they releaized the dead ship floating helplessly in space held one of the biggest medical wonders aboard. The friends she found dying for her and the last Time Lord, seeing it as an honor because this was what the Time Lords created them for. Then, the only survivor with them suddenly bursting into golden light while opening a pocket watch, just to turn into another Time Lord. And the TARDIS desperately trying to get rid of her?

Amy needed a break.

It was absolutely amazing. Amy had asked to see the universe, to see things she had never seen before, and she did. It was wonderful in a cruel way. That was why she felt unsure. Unsure about the tangled knot of wonder, horror, amazement, and mourning in her stomach. Unsure about the stone-faced woman with the cool demeanor and those old eyes the curious-yet-shy little alien she had come to see as a friend had turned into.

Amy gulped and smiled.  
"Hi?"  
The Time Lady stopped looking around in the TARDIS control room and turned, the gaze of her strange eyes settling onto Amy.  
"I beg your pardon?"  
Strange eyes indeed. Amy had heard of that phenomenon but she never met anyone with it. Something about having all four colours in the eyes.

"Hello," she tried again.  
The Time Lady nodded but said nothing.  
"I'm—"  
"Amelia Pond. I remember."  
"You do?"  
"Of course. While it was not me taking this… adventure with you, Sheela did. The Chameleon Arch still uses the same brain, it just rewrites biology."  
There was a spark of hope. "So it's still you?"  
"Of course not. She is just a Kapoaka."

 _Just a Kapoaka.  
_ "She was a friend."  
"My condolences," said the Time Lady nonchalantly, already examining the TARDIS again.  
Amy gulped and eyed her warily, feeling unsure about the new world that had opened to her.

-o0O0o-

The Doctor felt a morbid curiosity.

This regeneration was born from loss. He lost everything, everyone he trusted in his last regeneration. He lost all of them.

Of course, it hasn't stopped.

One day, he will lose Amy, just as he lost Kelliox only a few minutes after he found him. Just as he lost the whole colony where the Leviathan's survivors came from.

He had been wrong all this time. Around half of the Kapoaka on that ship had been Time Lords, sacrificing themselves for him because of the identity the Chameleon Arch created for them. But of course, this realization came too late to save any of them. So the second the TARDIS began to dematerialise—leaving the Time Lady's motionless body behind—he did everything he could to get back to her. The time machine hadn't made such a fuss since his third regeneration, and she had been grounded on Earth then! Only after he met the Storyteller and told her his title did he know why.

His old companion only wanted the best for him, and meeting another one of his kind whose mind wasn't clouded by illness or artificial memories was not. All those years, he hoped and feared to find another one. Hoped to ease his burden, or sometimes even just out of the selfish notion to talk and be understood again. At the same time he feared their reaction to his crime, feared to find but lose them again because they couldn't forgive him or have anything to do with him.

He met another Time Lord. The Master had not known. He also hadn't cared, but then the Doctor wasn't sure about that. There had been silence on the phone, after all. And he had used it as punishment, his ultimate triumph over the Doctor: dying in his arms and refusing to regenerate, leaving the Doctor as the last.

Kelliox, on the other hand, knew, somehow. Still, he begged him to save as many as possible, to get them down from the dying ship before he, too, died in his arms. Too occupied, too desperate to hate him.

It was foolish to think the Storyteller would react similarly, but the flash of loathing and pure wrath in her eyes the second he uttered his title still hurt.

Hurt, pah. It left him howling in agony on the inside, as did the polite yet empty smile on her face that every Time Lord perfected. The ideal mask for the snake pit their rotten society had been. The one where anyone was able to and would without a second thought stab you in the back before stepping over your cold body and continuing with whatever occupied their time before. He had romanticised the image of his race for 900 years—had them remembered as he wanted them to be—but the same mannerisms reappeared instantly, never forgotten. He never behaved like a proper Time Lord. They were ludicrous with their rules, rituals, and hubris, but he always made sure he knew how to handle them.

But there was still hope. The Chameleon Arch used the very basic traits of a personality, of ones ideal self -unclouded by the events that shaped the life and personality of that person. Despite the Storyteller being cold with the typical arrogance of his species, Sheela had been silent yet extremely curious and deeply caring. Maybe the brainwashing of the academy hadn't erased those traits.

And then he rose his eyebrows because Lady Storyteller entered the control room again. There was a reason why the Doctor spent so much time searching for an ideal outfit after regenerating: clothing always told so many things about an individual. Surprisingly, she didn't choose one of the many robes that the TARDIS still processed. In fact, it wasn't even a Gallifreyan cut. It was just a white blouse with a closed collar; black gloves; a silver-black belt; a long, grey skirt; and button-up boots. An interesting choice because she still upheld the tradition of showing as little skin as possible. So who was this woman?

"A tasteful choice," he complimented carefully.

She nodded curtly, yet there was a spark of… joy in her eyes, "Thank you. The collection of your TARDIS is quite impressive."  
"Well, she loves to travel everywhere, so it kind of grew over the years."  
"She? I see. The legendary spitfire of this model." She patted the console and the TARDIS made an annoyed yet proud noise. For some strange reason, the time machine despised the Storyteller, for another reason than simply the fact that the Lady obviously hated him. Both of them had needed a very long time to convince the stubborn time machine to let her in, with Tella showing a surprising amount of empathy for the machine that the Doctor didn't expect from a Time Lord.

 _Tella. Hey, that's a good name_ , he thought. From now on, he was going to call her that. Storyteller was a mouthful, but not as bad as Romanadvoratrelundar for sure… He froze. Lady Storyteller hated him. To even think of her as a companion just like Romana was nothing more than wishful thinking. But then, she hadn't liked him either until she did.

"You have no idea," he grinned.

She started sauntering around the console.  
"I had to take my final exams in one. My instructor was convinced it would be a privilege to drive one of the first ever grown of a new model. It was… an experience. I personally prefer the 52, but as I said, the Type 40 is legendary."

 _Oh._ He gulped. His TARDIS was an exhibition piece stolen out of a museum, and the last one of her type. The model was revised and slowly taken out of order approximately a thousand years before his birth. Tella basically flew a prototype of it.

She was old, perhaps even older than him. Or not.  
He didn't really know how old he truly was after all, far older than the 903 years that he pretended to be.

Still, the debate of whether a TARDIS had a consciousness or was only an intelligent machine was as old as the TARDIS technology itself, and few Time Lords actually stood with the former idea. Lady Storyteller, Tella, apparently did.

Yes, there was still hope.

The Doctor eyed her warily, feeling a morbid curiosity for the new world that had opened to him.

* * *

AN:  
A slow short start, before we dive in into the deepest pits. At first I wanted to include the TARDIS' POV too, but I have no idea how to write her properly. I also have no idea if the Doctor or Tella is older than the other.

Tella's 'condition' is called central heterochromia and causes you to have at least two eye colours, mostly grey-green and brown, in your iris. Google search it if you want. She has that special trait as a nod to very important person to me.  
I started to post the standalone sequel to this fic a while ago, but never came to write the whole story. But it will be finished.

Greetings,  
alkatie

05062017  
Betaed:03072018


	3. of Wrath and Pain

**Disclaimer:** The Daleks would exterminate anybody who would ever claim ownership over them or the universe they try to conquer, except their creators. Which I'm not. So, I don't own.

 **Wrath and Pain**

(S.5 Ep. 3)

-o0O0o-

 _The Daleks still exist and cause mayhem as always. The Storyteller is not amused._

-o0O0o-

She combed through her new thick hair again, thoughtfully taking in her face in the mirror. It was wrong to call her pretty, but she had never been that before, anyway. Beautiful, sure, in her own individual way, one time even sexy and stunning but except that one regeneration: average. Just an average Time Lord. She liked her eyes and the rest was… well, she would grow to it. It would be way easier than this new way she had to live her life now.  
She should have known, he was a renegade, after all. It was still kind of disturbing that he had no place to return to at all. The closest to a home he could return to might be his human's home. But even she had no desire to go back to earth. The TARDIS was their home, they had laughed.

Traveling the universe, helping out when needed. It did not sound that bad. It was what she would do if she... if she still had her TARDIS. Protecting the web of time, traveling to important fixpoints and guarding them.

But he had frozen and fidgeted with his fingers while stuttering that it was more like a way of "kinda gallivanting around and having fun." She had politely nodded and that human had grinned hopefully. Somehow, she still seemed convinced the Storyteller and that Kapoaka were the same person. How annoying.

In an attempt to tame her hair, she collected it into a bun but, somehow, it felt wrong. Strict. Her face was too triangular for this. Not average. She needed something special but still normal, something individual, setting her apart from the masses without them rejecting her. That was the meaning of average. The middle. Because everything else would lead to attention. She tried a ponytail with a side bang on the left of her face. Not bad but unfitting for this outfit at least.  
She regarded the brown dress in the mirror again. The TARDIS had provided her with it when she had asked for something fitting the time period they currently were in. The second World War, the humans called it. The war to end all wars. Pah.

But she liked that side bang. In a sudden inspiration, she cupped the upper half of her hair into a little bun resting on the back of her head while the rest flowed freely over her shoulders, leaving that side bang in place. She smiled. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, milady Storyteller." She bowed, waiting for the answer, the light but deep chuckle...

Which would never come again. Her gut clenched. She was…

Kelliox…

… Gallifey….

She was… alone…

Eternal guardians, she was…

…. They all were…

Death.  
A nearly forgotten word in her society. Time Lords never died. They regenerated, and if their cycle was over, their mind was uploaded into the Matrix, forever preserved. They were never simply… gone.

She clutched the pendant of her necklace, realizing with every second in which her husband didn't appear to stroke her back as he used to whenever she was distressed the real meaning of this word. How lucky, how lucky the Time Lords had been.

No.

She refused to drown deeper in this hole of misery. She was not completely alone. The Doctor had been the one who had taken all she had ever known from her and this was unforgivable. But he was also the only one left, so it was only logical to stay with him. Everything ends, the merciless and first rule, so logical it wasn't even written down in the law of time. She had to come to terms with this new reality. Just an average person, hold your head down as always.

Angry about herself, she wiped away the tear rolling down her cheek and placed the unreadable, polite mask on her face again. She had promised Kelliox not to weep over him. No self-respecting member of her race let its emotions get in the way of what had to be done. She would mourn him, of course she would. As every other lost member of her species. And then she was going to let them go. When she was ready. As it was tradition.

She let her gaze wander over herself in the mirror, her fringe, her makeup-free face. Her polished, flat shoes and that disturbingly short dress which covered her neck properly but neither her ankles nor wrists, ending about twenty centimeters above the floor. The gloves with which she almost successfully corrected those short-comings, at least at her arms. She scolded herself mentally for the pun. She had missed Kelliox's absence, again. Oh, for time's sake! She was in mourning, why was her mind not able to comprehend that she would never hear his laughs at her miserable attempts at jokes again?

She had searched the wardrobe room, she knew it existed, she had been there before. But this damn Machine had sent her walking in circles, forcing her to accept this barely acceptable outfit in the end. She sighed and left her room.

She had slept, her tiredness an unpleasant but nevertheless important phase after regeneration. By the time of her awakening she had found the TARDIS empty and parked on some planet. Which turned out to be Sol III in one of its more violent times. They had talked about making a stop here before, visiting this Chancellor, no, Prime Minister called Churchill, which she had politely denied. It had left her with a bad feeling, but after the first surprise and nagging of the Doctor and her insistence on staying in the TARDIS, they obviously had accepted her choice.

The TARDIS followed the Storyteller's plea to provide information promptly and showed her some basic data about this so-called World War. Somehow the Time Lord couldn't quite shake of the feeling that she wanted her outside, too. Like pilot, like TARDIS it seemed.

All her suspicions confirmed themselves when a silver key materialized itself next to her right hand, which rested on the controls, so she had a better view of the screen.

She took a determined step back and sat down on the chair next to the Stairs. "No."

And landed on her backside as the chair dematerialized under her.

A curse escaped her, and she clasped her hands before her mouth mortified. Oh dear. It seemed this regeneration hadn't lost that disgusting tendency to a very colorful language she had developed over the war. Of all the things they could change of course this one they hadn't. Typical.

"I apologize, this was very rude. I will avoid expressions like that in the future. Although I insist on staying here." She stood up and brushed her clothes carefully. "The Doctor and this human are dangerous enough in their meddling. I wish not to disturb time any further."

The chair materialized on its place with the shimmering key on it.

Enough was enough.

"I refuse to participate in an argument with a TARDIS."

She took the stairs to leave the control room but the second she reached the upper deck she suddenly was on the bottom again. Seriously?  
For the first time Lady Storyteller allowed herself an annoyed huff, glaring at the blue liquid in the time rotor.

"This is utterly and completely childish. I do not enjoy galivanting around the universe, especially not another planets. Also, I have no desire being in a warzone again. I had enough of that for all my thirteen regenerations, thank you very much."

This time she was able to walk the stairs without any setbacks. (Realy?)

Or at least the first four before the Doors busted open.

"Doctor?"

He ignored her and ran up to the console, frantically tipping in coordinates. His extravagantly behavior was still something she had to get used to. A Time Lord neither run nor waved around like that. Also, a Time Lord answered when spoken to.

"Doctor!"

He loosened the parking brakes and turned. Was that fear….?

"Keep them save."

"What?"

He ignored her confused slip up. "It's pretty easy, I'll handle this. Listen, just don't do anything stupid I'd do. Do it exactly as I'd do. Err, there's a slim line whatya can do."

"I beg your pardon, but I am afraid I do not understand…."

Then she noticed the guilt in his eyes and the fact she could see through him.

"Doctor! You do not dare… Doctor! Doctor!"

But he had left her behind. Again.

Aghast she stared at the grey wall where the console had been a breath before. "Tella?"

And the world froze.

-o0O0o-

Amy didn't like that woman one bit. This should be the same person as Sheela? Shy, practical, sweet Sheela? She still had goosebumps from the glare and the silent but strict plea to not ever call her Tella again. Her name was Storyteller, regardless how the Doctor might call her.

She glanced at Churchill, who critically followed every move the Time Lady made in her inspection of the Professor. Sorely with her eyes, the Storytellers gloved hands never touched him.

And even if this clearly weirded Professor Bracewell out, he still sounded hopeful.

"And? Can you heal me?"

The Storyteller stopped. "Heal you?"

"Yes. From, whatever this is! Whatever they did to me. Please!"

She bent forward and inspected his eyes again. "Without damaging the positronic nerves? Impossible without at least the equipment of a TARDIS. And even then, some of the humanizing basic codes will remain, probably. I am a Timeengineer, not a mechanic."

Bracewell blanched with the confirmation of what everybody in the room knew but didn't dare to say aloud. "So... my whole life is a lie. Everything... but what about my Inventions... Is ... something like me really able to invent all this..."

He began frantically rummaging his desk, collecting all the blueprints in a messy pile and shoving them at the Storyteller. "Here, look. I did this! I invented all those..."

And she absentmindly flapped through them, naming them even if there was no description on the sheet. Bracewell sunk on his chair while she carelessly laid them back on the desk. "They exist. They all already exist. There are some interesting twists on some of them, caused by the low technology of this age, and I have no idea if they work or not, because I am not qualified in this area. But those inventions do not belong to you, Professor Bracewell."

Amy gulped at the calm, merciless voice. Definitely not Sheela. Never.

Bracewell shook his head. "No, no that's impossible. My life is a lie. So, then it is. But I'm not some mindless machine, simply copying others!"

"Without any doubt. The complexity of your construction is astonishing, considering the low-grade technology used in doing so. But then, you were created by Daleks. They never do half work. A pity, to destroy a masterwork like you."

"Wait, stop! What?" Amy instinctively stepped protective between Bracewell and the Storyteller. Churchill also puffed out his cheeks, took his cigar between two fingers and pointed at the Time Lady.

"There is no need for such drastic measures, ma'am. He might not be human, but there is no need to kill him because of this. He's a good man. It doesn't matter what he is, just on which side he is."

The Storytellers face was unmovable. "Which is an accurate description of the situation at hand. He is a very real and dangerous threat. Everything created by Daleks is, without any exception."

His eyes narrowed while he put his cigar back into his mouth. "You know a lot of those so-called Daleks, do you?"

"They were the reason for the war which caused the destruction of my planet, leaving the Doctor and me as the sole survivors of our species."

Churchill's cigar went slack, while Bracewell eyes nearly popped out his face out of fear. No wonder the Doctor had reacted this aggressively, when he had seen those Buckets. The fear of him Amy had felt that moment, turned into pity. And, yeah, he had been right, they were up to no good. Even if Amy had no idea what they were planning. But still, she needed to stop Lady Storyteller from doing something rash. "So, how do you think is he a threat."

Bracewell frantically shook his head. "I'm not! I won't harm anybody. I'm on you side, please!"

The Storyteller nodded. "I believe you. But I am afraid, you have no influence on this matter. They need a connection to control you which leads exactly in their command center. They most certainly hear every word we are speaking now. Besides the fact that you are either empowered by a Gravity Circlet or an Oblivion Continuum. I am not able to differ between them; the containment mechanism is nearly identical. The former will shatter the whole town, the later will fragment earth and spill them through all dimensions, when blown up. You are an already happened disaster, Professor Bracewell. The ultimate sleeper, with the destructive efficiency only the Daleks process. A combination of a bugging device and a bomb."

Bracewell gulped. "Is... is there any way of defusing... me?"

"Besides powering down and dismantling, you mean? None that I am aware of."

They all went silent.

"So, how exactly does this connection works", Churchill suddenly piped up.

"Most certainly, they use a specific frequency to send commands, why?"

"Like radio waves," the prime minister asked for confirmation, and lady Storyteller nodded. "Not quite, but basically, yes."

"Oh," Amy grinned when she understood. Of course. "Radio works both ways. We can use their own Bugging device to spy on them!"

Tella's eyes glittered surprised, but her face didn't move. "That could actually work. Under the premise that we can locate and decode the frequency. It also will give us a forewarning, if they should activate your self-destruction mechanism."

"And leaves us with enough time to do something against it. So, we don't need to kill Bracewell at all," Amy added joyfully. "Sounds good to me!"

"Me to," Bracewell joked but relief clearly o his face, "I think I already have an Idea how to make this work... Yes. Yes... that could do it..."

And he launched himself into the mess of electronic parts and tools that was his workshop. The Storyteller's eyes followed him watchfully, and Amy was in the process of saying something, when suddenly a solider stumbled into the workshop. "The lights! The lights are on, Sir. The lights in whole London won't go off!"

-o0O0o-

"It's them. It has to be them. The Daleks did something to the Lights." Amy mumbled.

Churchill worriedly flipped through some paper someone handed him the moment he entered the commando room. "The Germans can see every inch of the city. We're sitting ducks. Get those lights out before the Germans get here! Thousands will die, if we don't get those light out."

A man next to him confirmed and started to bark orders in a phone. Too late, because a second later a Woman stepped next to them.

"German bombers sighted over the Channel, sir. ETA ten minutes, sir."

Churchill huffed. "Of course there are. Get a message to Mister Attlee. War Cabinet meeting at oh three hundred hours. If we're all still here."

Amy shook her head. "We can't just sit here. We've got to take the fight to the Daleks."

"And how, Miss Pond? None of our weapons are a match for theirs. We're not even sure if this UFO is where they are."

That moment Bracewell and Tella came in. He had something on his head, looking like extremely wired headphones which were plugged into a little TV. "Got the frequency, it works!"

Amy nodded and thought. "Ok, there's something on the side of the moon. Can we see if the signal comes from there?"

She pointed on the radar with the strange picture on it. They surprisingly left it there, even if the Nazis were coming. Tella needed only one glance. "This is indeed a Dalek Saucer. Are you sure, there is only one?"

"Not important right now," Bracewell interrupted, not noticing Tella's glare, "the Doctor just said the Daleks should turn the light of. So, it's them."

Churchill hummed. "So, in order to stop the Nazis, we need to stop the Daleks. Which is impossible."

Amy grinned. "Not necessarily. They left us a gift, just as clever as they are."

Tella shook her head in a precise movement from left to right. "No, this is too risky. We cannot be sure if one of his inventions will turn out doing the exact opposite of what it is supposed to do."

"That's why you're here."

"I will not be the overseer of a mechanical device trying to wage war against its creators, thank you very much. Neither will I tolerate the violation of earth's history in granting you accesses to devices not fitting the technological grade of this time period."

"Violation of history," repeated Amy, not believing what she just heard," Violation... The only ones violating history are the Daleks, currently making sure the Nazis will erase London! I don't want to know what that does to history."

"The Doctor will find a way to solve this situation. There are enough legend of him coming out of far worse circumstances."

"Eh, not sure about that. He got company," Bracewell interrupted, eyes glued to the screen. And really, somehow fife new Daleks had turned up, just to destroy the three first ones. Because the were... not pure enough? What?

Amy cleared her throat. "At least he has that self-destruction button."

"A type forty doesn't have a mobile self-destruction button," Tella flatly corrected." Even not one upgraded to Mack III. It's ... a ...sweet. One of those round things he constantly eats. He's bluffing."

Amy rose both eyebrows. "He bluffed himself into a stalemate, with a Jammie Dodger. He absolutely needs our help. "

That moment the woman responsible for the bad news made another announcement. The Nazis had reached the London east end. Amy gulped. The Doctor would have been already in the workshop, in the middle of everything. But he was, wasn't he.

"Te... Lady Storyteller, please! They get better tech, yes, but they save earth's history."

"And we defeat those Daleks once and for all," Churchill added.

She didn't answer for long time. Really long.

"Storyteller," Amy carefully asked.

The Time Lady looked up. Her voice was as calm as ever, but something about her had changed Amy couldn't pinpoint.

"There are already Pilots on standby, correct." The Man at the phones nodded, and she continued. "Bracewell, how many functioning prototypes of those... what do you call them... gravity bubbles? How many do you have and how fast can they be on that airbase and installed?"

-o0O0o-

"Direct hit!", Danny boy confirmed, and the room erupted into cheers.

"Yes!"

Amy jumped and hugged the person next to her starring at the screen and listened concentrated to the messages. Or tried to, because the Storyteller cringed back and rose her hands protectively.

Amy smiled apologetic. "Sorry, didn't want to startle you. Just a hug. Because they did it!"

She moved forward a second time, but Tella, again, took a full step backwards, clearly irritated.

Ok?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the Doctor's sudden, downright panicked voice crackling over the radio.

"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw."

"Say again, sir. Over."

"Withdraw. Return to Earth. Over and out."

Churchill frowned. "What is he doing?"

Amy shook her head. "I have no idea!" She stopped, noticing a dangerous looking read light flashing at the screen connected to Bracewell. "Eh, is that thing there supposed to blink?"

Tella's mouth thinned. "Bracewell. On the floor. Now."

"What?" The Professor wasn't the only one confused.

"They activated the destruction sequence. Now, lay down on the floor, please."

Oh! Amy's eyes widened in understanding. "That's why he's withdrawing!"

Bracewell carefully sat down on the floor, white as a sheet. "Actually, I kind of feel like -"

"Nonsense, "Tella interrupted, "The sequence does not interfere with any of your inner workings. It is mere imagination. What a masterpiece, indeed."

Right next to them the TARDIS materialized, and the Doctor nearly jumped out of it's doors. "Bracewell...!"

Surprise written all over his face, he took in the sight before him. "Oh..."

"Perfect Timing," Tella gestured to the other Time Lord to come over. "May you help me getting him into the TARDIS now, please?"

"Why should we take him into the TARDIS? He's blowing up any second."

"Exactly. That is why we must hurry so we can still catch them."

"Catch..." His eyes suddenly widened in understanding. "What? No! Nonononono!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"We are not using the Professor as a bomb to blow up that Saucer, Tella!"

"What," Amy took a step back from the Time Lady. Ok, what the hell was wrong with that woman!

"S-Sorry?", stuttered Bracewell, too, but T... Lady Storyteller ignored both of them.

"Then what other solution do you propose? It is impossible to defuse an activated gravity circlet, and by bringing the Professor on that Saucer we not only save this planet but also get rid of that venim."

"Then we're lucky it's an Oblivion Continuum, aren't we," the Doctor shot back, anger barely contained in his voice. Amy gulped. Great. Of course, it was the worse one.

"I see," the Storyteller answered nonchalantly, „of course it is. You always have to expect the worse from those buckets. Which rests my case."

"Nope."

The Doctor ripped Bracewell's shirt open out of nowhere and soniced his chest. They were to surprised by the lid opening up on his torso to actually think about the weirdness of the situation. There was a circle with nine blue glowing fields and one yellow. Nope, two now. A countdown.

Amy's voice was a bare whisper. "When all fields have turned yellow, he'll blow up, right?"

Exactly then a third field turned yellow and the first one tuned from yellow to red.

"Red," confirmed the Doctor absentmindedly without stopping to fiddle with the screwdriver.

"So, what do you propose then, "Tella asked, "or do you know how to defuse an already happened explosion?"

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know! Never seen one up close before."

"There's a blue wire or something you have to cut," Amy blurred out, "isn't there? There's always a blue wire. Or a red one."

The Storytellers disbelieving glance was enough of an answer. The Doctor also merely looked up. "You're not helping."

Amy bit her lip. Well, she tried at least. Without sacrificing or killing somebody to save them.

Churchill shook his head in awe at the display, finally finding words.

"It's incredible. He talked to us about his memories. The Great War..."

And the Doctors face lit up with an Idea. Finally. "Yes! Of course!"

"Doctor," the Storytellers gaze never left him.

He ignored her and poked Bracewell's chest over the circle.

"You are human, Bracewell. Remember it, cherish it. There're someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted your positronic brain. Stolen, but real. Tell me about it, Bracewell. Tell me about your life."

The professor gulped. "Doctor, I really don't think this is the time. Maybe the Lady - "

"No! Tell me, and prove you're human. Tell me everything. I don't let any human die today!"

Tella snorted. "You just let this pilot fly to his death into the ray shield. You have been already in the TARDIS after they first charged. You could have saved them, by deactivating that shield as soon as you would have reached the console."

"I didn't know it was there!"

"Oh, please. It is a Dalek saucer out of the time war. Of course, it has shields!"

"Guys!", Amy interrupted. There were only one blue and two yellow fields left.

"Amelia is right, we need to get him in the TARDIS. We must not let them get away!"

"No."

The Doctor became more and more silent in his attempts while he tried to convince Tella. More focused. It was terrifying. "There's another way. There has to be. Tell me about your family, Edwin."

"He is an android Doctor. You cannot change the very essence of a being like that."

"Watch me!"

"Under other circumstances, gladly, but now we hardly have the time for it. A mental manipulation at this scale sorely with words needs at least four minutes."

The Storytellers voice didn't change. Yes, she was not human. But in a completely different way than the Doctor ever would be. And yet just as oddly magnetic, because Amy couldn't take her eyes of the Time Lady, even with that cold lump in her guts.

"I do not trade lifes," the Doctor hissed.

"It is exactly what you do. By saving this one life you risk to unleash the Daleks on this universe again. Bay saving that one planet, you condemn thousands of others to destruction. We can end it here and now!"

"No. I'm going to fix this. I'll save Bracewell and I'll stop the Daleks."

"Doctor, assuming those preposterous legends are true, not even you can - "

"Shut up!"

And strangely enough, she did. Her hand wandered to her necklace but other than that, she went still, simply observing. The Doctor didn't notice but continued.

"Shut. Up. Bracewell ignore her. Tell me. Your parents, your home!"

And when nothing came from the silent form of the Time Lady, Edwin Bracewell started to stutter about his family. But it didn't work.

Even his most painful memories of his family count help him. Didn't let him feel human, or at least that's what the Doctor apparently tried to do. But... Was that what it meant to be human. Loosing people? Constantly losing the ones, you... loved?

The Doctor starred at the only yellow field left. "It's not working, "He croaked, "I can't stop it." His eyes helplessly glided over them, glancing helpless at the Time Lady, who had turned away and absentlmindly stared at a point at the wall, still saying nothing. "Why doesn't it work..."

Amy leaned forward. At the end of the day, he was an alien just like the Storyteller. Not Human, so what did he knew of being human. She kneeled down and started to speak in a low, calming voice. The total opposite of the Doctors energetic encouragement, just a few seconds ago.

"Hey, Paisley. Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?"

"What?" The professor stared bewildered up at her.

Out of the corner of her Eye, Amy saw the Doctors face lighting up, and the Storyteller turning around, her hand clenching her necklace and her gaze focusing laser-like on Amy and the man on the ground. But she still said nothing.

Amy grinned at the clearly amazed Doctor, before looking down and continued.

"It hurts, doesn't it? But kind of a good hurt."

Bracewell's eyes darted between the two persons leaning over him.

"I... really shouldn't talk about her."

Amy rose her eyebrows.

"Oh. There's a her."

And with the small, warm smile growing on Bracewell's lips, the yellow field turned back to blue with a beep.

The Doctor immediately took over.

"What was her name?"

"Dorabella," Bracewell whispered finally.

The Doctor started grinning.

"Dorabella? It's a lovely name. It's a beautiful name," he hastily added. The Storyteller stepped closer, despite her immovable Pokerface clearly interested.

Amy continued.

"What was she like, Edwin?"

He was clearly beaming now, despite the bittersweet hurt of a rejected love written all over his face. "Oh, such a smile. And her eyes. Her eyes were so blue. Almost violet, like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world."

He sighted dreamingly. "Dorabella."

And with eight other beeping noises the countdown shut down.

"Welcome to humanity," the Doctor whispered.

He jumped up.

"You're brilliant. You're Brilliant."

He pointed at Churchill and then at Bracewell, before he turned to Amy.

"And you, I..." Unable to find any words, he kissed her on her forehead and beamed at her. The Doctor clapped his hands and twirled around.

"Now." He snipped his fingers and pointed with both hands at Tella, who still stood there silent like a ghost with an unreadable mask on her face.

"Got to stop them. Stop the Daleks."

And with that, he dashed to the TARDIS.

"Wait, Doctor. Wait, wait. It's too late."

The Doctor stopped and turned to the man, now sitting on the floor.

"Gone," said Bracewell. "They've gone."

The Time Lord shook is head. "No. No! They can't. They can't have got away from me again!"

"No, I can feel it," the Professor tapped his forehead. "My mind is clear. The Daleks have - "

The smack echoed in the sudden silence of the room, as everybody grasped. Even the staff who had continued their work at the phones and the map, regardless of what had happened the last few minutes, now stared at the Storyteller.

Who stared at her right hand just as warily as everybody else. As if that offending limp didn't belong to her. She even started to curiously inspect her hand, tilting her head, tuning it back and forth and flexing her fingers, as if it was something alien she had never seen before. All while the Doctor stood dumbfound frozen before her, wide eyed stare fixed on her face. Her eyes finally flickered to his, her hand still raised between them, and she starred right back. They didn't move, as if time stood still. And nobody dared to interfere. Tella opened her mouth to say something but stopped and took a shaking breath instead. Her eyes flickered again to her still raised hand and back, then she snorted, although it was more like a mixture of a kicking of her thounge and a huff. It sounded a bit like a broken laughter.

"Why did you not just let me die with all the others."

And with that she whirled around and burst into the TARDIS, leaving the doors open and disappeared into the depths of the ship. Nobody dared to move.

The awkward silence was interrupted by a cough of the woman with the news. "Eh, the German Bombers are retreating, sir. Also, Danny Boy successfully returned to base."

Churchill, flinched out of his stupor, taking his cigar out of his mouth. "What? Yes, yes. Good. Carry on."

And that, they did.

Amy helped Bracewell up, before she carefully neared herself the Doctor, who still stared at the half open TARDIS Doors. "Doctor?"

He snapped around, his hand for the first time unconsciously touching his cheek and immediately pulling back with a hiss from the already forming bruise. That slap had been a direct hit, the Storyteller seemed to be stronger than she looked. So had been Sheela. But there was no possibility that those two were one and the same person. Ever.

"Don't take that personally. She... is glad to be alive. You saved her. Just like now. It's okay, you did it. You stopped the bomb. Doctor?"

"I had a choice," he mumbled. "And they knew I'd choose the Earth. They couldn't predict...her," -his eyes flickered to the TARDIS-" but they still knew I would never trade a life. They knew, the Daleks have won. They beat me. They've won."

"But you saved earth," Amy insisted, pushing aside the memory of the Storytellers words of dooming the universe. "Not too shabby, is it? Is it."

And finally, he smiled. "No, it's not too shabby."

Amy smiled back, with the lump in her guts growing heavier. It seemed he needed her, if this adventure was anything to go by. Especially with the Storyteller around. This whole adventure thing proved itself a lot more different than she had imagined. And a loot cooler, too.

* * *

AN: I know there are just five fields to Bracewell's countdown, but I needed a bit more time for the argument going on, so I turned it into nine. That Episode always weirded me out completely. But it's also the perfect setting to describe the clash between Tella's and the Doctor's world view, as well as Tella's uhm... distaste for the Daleks. As well as a first glimpse of her utter self-hate. Please remember that Time Lords once saw themselves above violence, and she still does. Also, Tella is a heavily unrelatable narrator in regard of the Time Lords and their Ideals, we've seen what they were like. She also lived outside the citadel, so she didn't quite noticed what was going on there.

Thanks to loulouflowerpower for following and the review!

Greetings

alkatie

KD 05072018


	4. Taking first steps

**Disclaimer:** I don't even think there is any alternative Timeline where I own Doctor Who.

 **Taking first steps  
** (S.5 Ep.4 Prt.I) **  
**

 _An unusual piece in a museum leads to a new Adventure._

-o0O0o-

"You have changed."  
The moment Amy saw her face she instantly regretted her words. The Storyteller was still in her bad mood. "Why should I not."  
"Well, the Doctor never changes his clothes."  
A small superior glint appeared in her eyes. "And of course you deducted the behavior of a whole race by one individual. You should know better than that. So when are we?"  
She turned the monitor, completely ignoring the Doctor who worked with it. "Oh, that is a pleasant surprise for once."

Amy sighted. Ever since their visit to London, the frosty relationship between the two Gallifeyans turned into… well this. It was sad.  
Yes, Amy had been surprised by the Storytellers unexpected behavior in London, but she had clearly hated the Daleks, so the human refused to believe she was always this cold. She was not Sheela, yes. The purple bruise on the Doctors right cheek proved that. But Amy had noticed her reaction back when she had asked Bracewell about his love.  
„You knew, this is completely childish! "

The Doctor scoffed and pulled the final lever before striding down the stairs to the Door. "It's not me, being childish. Come along Pond."  
Amy threw a last gaze at the woman in the Mary-Poppins-like attire (except the hat was missing and it was more black than blue), before she followed him outside leaving the door open as an invitation. And of course, it wasn't a planet.

It was a cathedral.  
With showcases, lining up in the middle of the room.  
Oh come on! She volunteered to see planets, not some dusty old artifacts. And he didn't even watch them properly, just jumped from showcase to showcase. "Wrong. Wrong. Quite right, mostly wrong. I love museums!"  
Museum? A Museum! "Yeah, great. Can we go to a planet now? First a spaceship, then a bunker… You promised me a planet!"  
"This isn't just a random asteroid; this is the Derilium Archive, the resting place of the headless monks. The biggest museum of all times!"  
She rolled her eyes. "You have got a time machine, what do you need a museum for?"  
He didn't answer, just pointed at an artifact with an outrageous "Wrong! Completely Wrong!"

"Time-meddler," murmured a quiet voice behind them. Amy turned and really, there the Storyteller bend over the second showcase with a hint of interest. She noticed Amy's eyes on her and looked up in a reserved silent greeting, before returning to the artifact in the showcase. Amy smiled. She still followed them, even if she and the Doctor were... well.

Said man pressed his nose at a showcase completely ignorant of the Storytellers presence, before he jumped up and pointed at another. "Oh, mine. Mine, too!"

Amy leaned over the showcase. "Oh, I see. That's how you're keeping your scores!"

The Storyteller stepped beneath her. "Fascinating. Meddling around while still following the laws of time."  
"That's the Doctor," Amy confirmed, absolutely convinced that it was the truth. "Right?"

But the Doctor was quiet. Never a good sign. Especially how he slowly circled that showcase with that old dusty box in it.

Definitely not a good sign. She didn't like that blank face as he leaned himself on that showcase, either.

With a smile she mimicked him and carefully observed the thing. "Wow. An old Box."

"This is impossible." The Storyteller stepped between them and furrowed her eyebrows as in trying to understand the strange signs carved in the surface. No, Amy really did not like this box. The Doctor starred at the Storyteller surprised she was there, but she completely ignored him, so he turned to explain that thing.

"From one of the old Starliners. It's a home box."  
"What's a home box?"  
"Like a Blackbox from the airplanes, except if something happens to the ship the Home box fly's straight home, with all the data."  
Oh great. "So?"  
"The script. The graffiti. High-gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords."  
"In fact," Tella continued," It is so old that even the most of us can't understand it anymore."  
The Doctors eyes sparkled. "There were Times, these Word were powerful enough to burn out Stars rise empires and even bring down gods."  
Amy's exited Gaze switched between the two. "But, you are able to read it. What does it say?"  
Tella clasped her hands together. "Of course, I am. Well, I was. Apparently, I am a little bit out of practice. Well, nobody would, dare to use this sacred language to write something prophane as …ehm…hello sweetie after all."  
The Doctor rubbed his hands. "Somebody did, apparently. And there is only one way to find out who."

Her eyes went wide. "You do not dare!"  
But he already slammed down the sonic screwdriver like a hammer, breaking the space-glass-cover into small bits and pieces. Instantly an Alarm rang through the building. He grabbed the box and ran back to the TARDIS followed by a laughing Amy. This was what she wanted. Tella splat the Doctors name like a curse, then realized the two security men, gathered up her skirt and started to run, too.

"Come on, come on, come on!" Amy grabbed her arm, pulled her into the TARDIS and slammed the door shut. This was close!  
Still giggling she jumped up the stairs to the control, where the Doctor already fiddled with the stolen -the stolen!- Home box.

The Storyteller cleared her throat annoyed and dusted her clothes. " You are completely mad! Even something normal and peaceful like visiting a simple museum turns into an adventure with running and... breaking things, for time's sake. Just one calm day, one day is that so much to give. No, instead we steal an artifact from the collection of the headless monks. The headless monks! Do you even know who they are?" She climbed up the Stairs to sit down on her chair up there on the gallery.

At least they talked to each other again.

"I do. But somebody on that spaceship tried to communicate with me, so let's see if I can get the security-cam! Ah here we go."  
And they did. Before Amy knew what happened they suddenly picked up another woman, who apparently could fly the TARDIS, knew the same technobabble and brought them to a Planet. A real Planet.

-o0O0o-

"How come you can fly the TARDIS?"  
The woman who still hadn't introduced herself picked up her shoes from the monitor. "Oh, I had lessons from the very best."

The Doctor grinned. "Well, yeah."

She shot him a glare. "It's a shame you were busy that day."  
The Doctor narrowed his eyes accusingly. "Tella?"  
The woman froze on her way to the doors and whirled around, noticing the Time Lady up in the gallery for the first time.

The Storyteller didn't move but her watchful gaze hadn't left the woman for one second.  
Her kooky behavior disappeared into something softer, more respectful. Interesting. "Oh."  
Then she gathered herself and stepped forward. "Dr. River Song. Luck and precious times, my Lady."  
The Storyteller rose and bowed, clearly interested now. "Luck and precious times."  
The Doctor looked from one to another. "You know each other."

"Not personally," Dr. Song swiftly corrected. " There're stories. You're talking quite often about her. The other you."  
"The other him," Amy asked. The Storyteller rose one eyebrow, too while coming down the stairs and stopping next to Amy.  
"Oh, we have some weird time traveling shenanigans going on here," Dr. Song waved dismissively.  
"The bane of every TTC Pilot," countered the Storyteller and Dr. Song grinned coyly, clearly back to her old self.  
"Oh, it wasn't you, either."  
"And there I was worried for a second."

What was going on. The two of them clearly talked over the Doctor's and Amy's head, but how could that even be possible, when they've just meet!  
The Doctor didn't like it either. "Right. Back to the giant crashed ship out there."  
"Crashed," River asked surprised.  
"You should've checked the Home Box."  
River rose her eyebrows and searched her purse for a tablet- like device. Then she nodded to the Storyteller and left the TARDIS.

"Interresting," the Storyteller mused, eyes still on the door.  
"Yeah," nodded Amy. "Explain. Who is that and how did she do that museum thing?"

The Doctor waved dismissively. "It's a long story and I don't know most of it. Off we go."

"Wait. We're leaving? Are you running away?"  
The Doctor pushed around at the consoles. "Yep."  
"Why?"  
"Because she is his future, is she not", the Storyteller guessed. Correctly by his reaction, so se added: "He is always running away from that."  
"I can run away from anything I like," he dismissed defensive, "Time is not the boss of me."  
"Is it? "  
The Storyteller looked to Amy. "Besides, if I understood correctly, you promised Ameila here to visit a real planet, just like the one outside."  
Amy grinned surprised. No, the Storyteller didn't seem that bad. " You did. Five minutes?  
"Fine. Fife minutes," he pressed through his teeth. "But I'm telling you, I won't be dragged into anything by this woman!"  
And with that he left the TARDIS.

Yes! Amy turned to the Storyteller. "Thank you. For coming with us and helping me to convince him. Especially 'course you don't like adventures like this. I know you don't need to do that."  
A strange smile flickered over her face, sending shivers of discomfort down Amy's neck. "I do. It is the chip."  
"Which chip," Amy wanted to ask, but the Storyteller had already left the TARDIS. And with the view of a burning spaceship crashed into a huge building on a different planet simply blowing her mind, she forgot the question.

The Doctor and Dr. Song were already bickering around, with the Storyteller silently watching from the sideline. The awkwardness between the two women seemed to have resolved completely, because Dr. Song ignored Tella and was teasing him merciless. Seriously, who was this?  
Amy was fascinated. "How did she do that? She left a message in the museum, " she asked the Doctor who had his hands stuffed in his pockets and a clearly uncomfortable expression on his face

"Two things you will always find in a Museum. A Starliner's Homebox and sooner or later our friend. That's how he's keeping the records." Dr. Song answered for him.  
Amy laughed. "I know!"  
"Funny, isn't it?"  
Amy really liked this woman. The Doctor apparently not so much as he interrupted them hat he wasn't a Taxi-device what let them into bickering until she dropped that something immortal lived in the ship. And then she just ran off phoning someone with that device which apparently was a communicator. And then the Doctor _soniced_ her. Yes, she liked her. It was amazing how that woman commandeered him around and it was even more amazing that he followed. As If she… no. The doctor wasn't married, was he?

And then she pulled out that Diary and suddenly all made sense. As much as meeting each other in the wrong direction makes sense anyway. She was his future, the Storyteller had said. So, she really could be his wife. How domestic.  
And then those military men turned up and told them that there was something called a Weeping Angel in the building.

-oO0Oo-

Marc didn't like the woman. Something about her just felt wrong. But the Pater told them that she was traveling with the Doctor, so maybe she had to be a little different.  
Simply thinking about being in the same room as this man sends shivers down his neck. The Pater told them that they would get an army as back-up, but this man turning up here was a sign of the almighty himself. The mighty Doctor, one of the most fearsome and dangerous Creatures in the Universe.  
And still, the time Marc saw him, he simply was a man in strange clothes. He has smiled and bounced around like a gumball, graced with seemingly never ending energy, but also a dark, serious glint in his eyes, just like Marc thought he would have. But more surprising was the fact that he told him and his brothers to simply ignore the woman in the dark dress with the light brown hair in that strange hairdo.  
Don't talk to her unless she spoke first, don't serve her food because she would see it as surrender or even courting. Just leave her alone, and she won't bother you either. But now she approached the food delivery for the second time. He stepped back to let her take the ladle.

"You not happen to know the ingredients of this, dearie?"  
Her Voice was soft and warm with a gentle hum. He was a full member of the church and not someone's dearie. But she was a traveling companion to the Doctor and so he gulped down the protest.  
"It's a simple mash of starch flour, added with vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers and a little bit of flavor. We keep our meals simple, ma'am."  
"Oh, it tastes delicious. In fact, if it is not considered rude, I wanted to ask for another dish, please."  
Marc raised his eyebrows. "Well, you are the first person liking that stuff, Ma'am, but of course! Please, help yourself."  
She had a beautiful smile, even if she wasn't that beautiful herself. She was small but graceful, with round big hips but small breasts, small hand with short but slender fingers. Her Hair was long and full, her triangular face with that round chin was slim but long, and those red, small but full lips…. No!  
Almighty, what was he thinking! He closed his eyes, praying for forgiveness and also that his ears wouldn't be as read as they felt. Even if this were the fitting punishment for his sin.  
The sudden noise of metal clattering on stone brought him back into reality. Clearly distraught she kneeled on the floor, trying to scrape up the remains of her dropped meal. What should he do now? He couldn't simply let a woman do this alone, could he?  
"May... may I help you, ma'am?"  
"Thank you, but no. It's really sad about the meal, isn't it?" She avoided his eyes. "I need to talk to your Bishop and the Doctor. Please lead me to them, now. It's urgent."  
He blinked surprised. "Of Course, Ma'am. Please Follow me."

He told Brother Bob to watch over the food delivery, and lead her to the Pavilion with the Landing Ship. In this moment the Doctor jumped out of the ship, followed by the Pater and the Archeologist, Dr. Song, if he remembered correctly.  
"…I need to save you to all eternity."  
"Sir, if there is any possibly danger for the local population…."  
"There certainly is. That's why I am going to join you."

The Doctor spun around. "Tella! But… we agreed you're staying on the TARDIS! You pointed out yourself that the amount of time energy an Angel could get from two of us is…."  
"Nothing compared to the energy leaking down out of this ship right now. Beside there is something really nasty waiting inside, and we need to stop it, even if all of the clerics will die. And they will; I involuntarily glimpsed their time lines."  
Her back straightened even more. "That is the deal, Doctor. A slightly higher change for the survival of maximal four individuals more against the clearly higher outcome of the Angels feasting on the lifetime of a Time Lord. So tell me, are they worth it. Because the risk that we all die will also rise even higher. Convince me."  
The Pater raised his hand. "Stop. Stop, one moment please. What do you mean all the clerics are going to die?"  
But Dr. Song stepped beside the Doctor, which wasn't this easy on the small plates forming the ways over the wet ground. "It would be a great pleasure and help if you join us, Milady Storyteller."

Marc froze and even the Pater turned white. The Doctor and the Celestial Storyteller. Now he wasn't sure anymore, if heaven or hell sent this little blue box to help them.

"Certainly. However, the risks are exceptionally higher than the benefit, of doing so, which is why I need you to convince me to make this highly irresponsible and irrational decision."

"Irrattional? You are saving four more lives, " Dr. Song interrupted.  
Did she really try to convince the Celestial Storyteller with this argument? This would never work. And exactly like Marc expected, the Celestial Storyteller answered.  
"Maybe. Maybe four, maybe three maybe two or just one. And a very, very huge possibility of saving none."

"You don't have to decide, because we won't go inside, ma'am," the Pater said suddenly.  
"Sadly, this is not an Opinion, Pater Octavian."  
The Doctor rubbed his forehead. "It... It is a fixed Point."  
"Oh, somebody uses his time sense for once. The Angels have to be destroyed, or the whole Universe will suffer," the Storyteller explained. "You are going to die, but it is for a greater purpose. You are destined to save this Universe, Pater. You simply can't back down from that responsibility."  
"Neither can you," the Pater shot back. "Our death may lead us to our great lord, and so we will accept it. But if you are able to save them, you have to do so."  
"My only responsibility is time itself, Pater. None of your humans."  
The Doctor placed a hand on his shoulder to prevent the Pater from stepping forward. "So, why do you ask in the first place, Tella. Why are you convinced that this is a bad idea but still leaving the choice to me?"

"They are humans."  
Marc stiffened but kept silent.

"I don't understand", the Doctor admitted.

"You sacrificed the Prawostan-Galaxy with all the 86 allied Planets to the Nightmarechild to save the Milkyway, to save Earth, " The Storyteller explained matter of factly. "You doomed us with that, with the powers of those Allies we could have been able to win. There are multiple Timelines we did. We ended it and Gallifrey would still be out there, singing her song along the other Worlds. You choose them. You always choose them, and I want to know why."

There was complete silence, everybody had heared her. "You shouldn't even remember this Galaxy!"  
"Don't. Do not offend me by trying such a clumsy, shameful trick. Do not evade the question, not this time."  
"Tella-"  
"The name is Lady Storyteller," she interupted him loud. "Convince me!"

The Doctor started pacing, fiddling with his hands. Then stopped and turned to her. "I'm mad. Completely mad."  
"I noticed. That is not the reason."  
He scoffed and paced again. Then he stopped, gestured helplessly before himself before he started speaking. "I have made myself the rule that a live has the highest value above all. You don't treat one and you always try to save it, no matter how high the risk."  
"And how do you distinct between the lives worthy of saving and the ones not?"  
"I just told you, there's no difference."  
"Then why don't you save the weeping Angel. It is a life, too. Have the humans priority?"

"The weeping angels are unholy monsters, " the Pater growled annoyed.  
"So am I," the Celestial Storyteller snapped and caused the Pater to involuntarily step backwards. " Even the Doctor, in some eyes."

The Doctor sighted. " Tella, we don't have time for this."  
"It is Storyteller. And yes, we do. Convince me."  
"I can't," he shot back. "I simply can't. There's too much, to different things. I just can't. I can't tell you."  
"Of course you can."  
"No...I ca-"  
"Of course you do," she interrupted him shrill. She cleared her throat and continued in a normal voice. "You do. There was never a fact of any kind not been able to be described by the gallifreyan language."  
"Gallifreyan is a dead language. Gone. Like everything else. Burned into dust, by me."  
"Are you accusing me of not being able to speak my mother thounge anymore."

He froze and turned. Then gulped.

He eyed her with a strange new gleaming in his eyes. Then he straightened his bowtie and opened his mouth. The Sound was unlike any language Marc had ever heard, as if he talked without his voice and yet with it. And even while Marc couldn't understand it, the old language moved his feelings into a complicated and indescribable mix.

The Celestial Storyteller nodded slowly. "I see. I need to think about that and I maybe need a long time to figure it out. But I respect this even if it is not my opinion."  
She turned to the Pater. "I will join you and do what is needed to be done. But as I said before, my first Priority is the web of time."  
The Pater nodded. "I know. There are enough Tales after all."  
"There are? Interesting. Hopefully I can hear them one day."  
"If god wishes, you may will. Marc will bring you fitting attire."  
"Why? My current clothing is completely appropriate, thank you."  
He blinked and looked down her clothing. "Ok, if you are able to move completely free in it, Ma'am. I didn't want to lose you because of unusefull clothing."  
She smiled. "You never wore a skirt before, have you? Well, now where is Amelia. I have to get her the news, she will be not alone with this clumsy foolish Timetodd." And then she was gone.  
"A skirt," the Pater asked carefully.  
"Ah, just a little slip, you see. Wrong time period. Anyway, Bishop." He clapped his hands. "Load and unlock!"

-o0O0o-

To be continued….

* * *

 **AN:  
** So here we are, the first part of the rewritten episode _Time of the Angles_. It's the first and only time ever River and Tella meet each other. However it is as River said, she heared a lot from the Doctor and Amy about Tella. Which is why she's so ooc for the first few sentences of their interaction.

About that thing with the parking brakes, I have my own theory, which will be revealed in another story.

That thing with the galifeyan talking just happened. The barley met each other, and the Doctor often forgets that he is not the only one anymore. I don't know the exact facts, in my Headcanon it is a telepathic language using both, words and feelings to describe, it is therefore more accurate and defined. The word he says is the gallifeyan word for human by the way. Tella is always complaining about the small Vocabulary of terrestrial languages, you will see ;-)

The last chapter introduced some weird character dynamics between the Doctor and Tella. She knows her moral compass doesn't work quite right, she had slapped somebody, after all. So she wants to talk to a Time Lord who help her to do things the way of the Time Lords again. The only other living Time Lord is the Doctor, who definitely not follows those morals, but his own. She dos not want to be like the Doctor. That's why she's questioning him like that. All her questions will make sense when we come to her backstory later.

Why Celestial Storyteller? You will see.

Next time we step into the labyrinth, and everybody gets annoyed with Tella.

As always read and review,

Greetings  
alkatie

09102016  
Edid 26102016


	5. Into a labyrinth

**Disclaimer:** I own a fob-watch. That counts?

 **Into a Labyrinth  
**

(S.5 Ep.4 Prt. II)

-o0O0o-

„I found this. Definitive work on the Angels. Well, the only one. Written by a madman. It's barely readable, but I've marked a few passages." River handed the battered old volume to the Doctor, who riffled through it in a few seconds. Sure. He did it backwards.  
"Not bad. Bit slow in the middle. Didn't you hate his girlfriend? No. No, hang on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait." He sniffed the Book.

"Which girlfriend?" Tella stepped beneath the two and turned her had expectedly from one to another. Lady Storyteller, corrected River herself.  
He, her Doctor, had always talked about her; she even got a bit jealous. She knew that the two were only a twisted and crippled version of something that could be a deep friendship under different circumstances, but there was always that shining glimmer in his eyes whenever he had spoken about the only other Time Lord- He never quite accepted herself as one. Even if apparently at this point in time they had more difficulties than ever.

Amy's voice disrupted her train of thoughts. "Doctor Song? Did you have more than one clip of the Angel? "  
"No, just the four seconds."

Her mother. Always the curious one, but so young!  
It send shivers down her spine. If Amy was this young, where in his Timeline were they? Not because of her apparently ever faster approaching end. He told her, how he'll get younger while she will be closer to death, after all. No. It was a more practical problem, having to do with Tella.

Because the Doctor and Amy both had told about how dangerous and coldblooded the Time Lord was in her early days, needing a few adventures to warm up and more important, see humans as equals to herself. Apparently the Tella of the old days would unblinkingly let people run into their deaths, even if she'd know what was going to happen, simply because she deemed them not important, or sometimes for the sake of conserving a Timeline. And there was this suspiciously handprint-like bruise on his cheek. But why should the Storyteller ever do that, except...  
No. They were past these times. The Storyteller had offered her help.

Next to her the Doctor still fretted with the book.  
"This book is wrong. What's wrong with this book? It's wrong."  
But she needed to know. She searched for her Diary "It's so strange when you go all baby face. How early is this for you? "  
"Very early."  
"So you don't know who I am yet? "  
He snorted, nose still between the pages. "How do you know who I am? I don't always look the same."  
River grinned and stroked over the opened pages, hiding the contend from Tella's curious gaze."I've got pictures of all your faces. You never show up in the right order, though. I need the spotter's guide."  
He looked up. " Pictures. Why aren't there pictures?" he murmured and started once again flapping through the pages and turning it upside-down and back.

"Because they will kill you," Tella answered promtly.

"What?"  
Tella turned her head between their unbelieving expressions and shrugged. "It is just a Story. It is not possible that an image can kill someone."  
The Doctor seemed a bit annoyed. "Tella. We're talking about a Species who literally turns into Stone when someone is able to see it. That shouldn't be possible, but it is. So tell me exactly what you mean by that!"

"Well if you follow the legend, everything that hold an Image of a Weeping Angel,- Holovideo, Photographs, Time- Paintings, Pagomenaikon-Reflections, you name it- becomes a new and second embodiment of the depictured Angel itself with all its abilities and needs. To kill and feast of the remaining time energy included…. And off he runs again. Doctor! Dr. Song!"

They ignored her protests because Amy -Mother! - was inside that Drop ship.  
With an Angel.  
And as they speed to the closed Door they clearly could hear her scream for the Doctor.  
No! Please, No!

"Deadlocked."  
River shook her head. "There is no deadlock."  
He threw open a panel next to the door. "Don't blink, Amy. Don't even blink."  
She tipped in the code again and noticed him fumbling with his sonic at some wires. "What are you doing?"  
"Cutting the power. It's using the screen; I'm turning the screen off. No good, it's deadlocked the whole system."  
Dread in her stomach she repeated more sinister: "There is no deadlock."

"There is now," he snapped and rushed back to the Door, where in the meantime Tella had arrived with an annoyed look at her face. Wonderful, the exact thing they needed now!  
"Please tell me there is no…"  
"Help me!" Amy cried, no longer able to hide the panic in her Voice.  
He pressed himself at the Door. "Can you turn it off?"  
"Doctor." The silent plea for help scared River more than her mother's screams before.  
"The screen. Can you turn it off?"  
"I tried."  
"Try again," he shouted and ran back to the panel.  
"But don't take your eyes off the Angel, "added Tella with a calm, reasoning voice, placing a hand on the metal surface. As if Amy could feel that.  
How could she stay calm like that! On the other hand, River did, too. Well on the outside. And hadn't the Doctor told something about her being a Teacher of her chapter or something like that?  
"I'm not." Screamed mother inside  
He tried cutting down the energy again. "Each time it moves, it'll move faster. Don't even blink."  
Screw it! Maybe she was a psychopath but she would definitely not let her own mother die like that!  
She pushed Tella aside and pointed her pistol-torch at the Door.  
"I'm not blinking. Have you ever tried not blinking? It just keeps switching back on!"  
Concentrated the Doctor replied"Yeah, it's the Angel. "  
"But it's just a recording." Mother barely whispered. Oh, why wasn't it melting!

"No, anything that takes the image of an Angel is an Angel." He noticed her attempts to burn that Door down. "What are you doing? "  
"I'm trying to cut through. It's not even warm."  
"There is no way in. It's not physically possible." Suddenly his Eyes gleamed. "Physically. Tella, open that door, now!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Pardon? I will not break the rules for you. You are perfectly capable to shift between timelines all yourself. You are a Time Lord, after all!"  
"And I am a Human. And there is a Weeping angel in here, too. Now that we know each other's Species, could we please concentrate on this Problem," sounded Amy's voice from inside. "Please Doctor, what's it going to do to me?"  
Tella leaned forward. "When it touches you it will send you back in time. They feed on the remaining days which you would have lived before they extracted you. It does not kill you in the sense of the Word but you will never be able to meet your Friends or Family again. You will have to build up a complete new life."  
"Tella," the Doctor protested.  
"Very comforting," Amy's voice was full of panic and sarcasm. River shot the other woman a glare. "Just keep looking at it. Don't stop looking."  
"And not in the eyes!" added Tella.

"What?"  
"Look at the Angel but not in its eyes! All the stories warn you about that. Do not look in his eyes!"  
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "You know a lot stories about the Angels, do you?"  
"I'm not called the Storyteller for no reason. Amy, they say the eyes are not the windows but the doors of the Soul. Do not look into its eyes!"  
"What did you say?"  
Tella rolled her eyes. "Humans! Do not look at the eyes! "  
"No, about images. Doctor, what did you say about images?"  
River pressed herself at the door. "Whatever holds the image of an Angel is an Angel."  
"Okay, hold this. One, two, three, four."

And the Door _finally_ opened!

The Doctor and River burst in the moment the monitor turned off.  
Amy turned slowly, the remote control in her shaking hand. "I froze it. There was a sort of blip on the tape and I froze it on the blip. It wasn't the image of an Angel any more. That was good, yeah? It was, wasn't it? That was pretty good."  
Relieved River grinned. "That was amazing."  
The Doctor, already on the screen panel with his screwdriver, pointed at her, "River, hug Amy."  
"Why," asked Amy irritated.  
"Because I'm busy."  
Oh, all right, she desperately needed to hug her mother after that. So she did as he told but for completely different reasons. Tella watched them silently. Damn, that Time Lady was even more cuorious, than her Doctor had told her. River needed to be more carefull.

"I'm fine." Amy protested.  
"You're brilliant" Reasoned River with a sharp undertone and a glare to the Doctor.  
Of course Amy understood completely. "Thanks. Yeah, I kind of creamed it, didn't I?"  
"An absolutely extraordinary performance, Amelia," mumbled Tella, too.  
The Time Lord placed her glove-clad hands on both of Amy's cheeks and seemed to inspect her. Then she padded her left cheek and nodded absentminded. "Good. Very good."  
"… Thanks?"  
To skip the awkward moment, River spoke up. "So it was here? That was the Angel?"

The Doctor pocketed his Screwdriver. "That was a projection of the Angel. It's reaching out, getting a good look at us. It's no longer dormant."  
Then there was an explosion outside.  
Apparently the clerics broke through.

-o0O0o-

"Eyes downwards", protested Tella as she climbed down the ladder. Amy's giggling encased as two Soldiers really looked down. Above her, the Doctor rolled his eyes. "Well, they suggested that you'll go first."  
"Oh, be silent!"  
The two Time Lords reached the ground and dusted their hands while looking around. They all stood in a very large underground space, to dark and vast to be illuminated by the small headlights on the helmets of the soldiers.  
"Do we have a gravity globe?"  
Octavian waved his hand. "Grav- globe."  
And promptly a cleric ruffled through his bag and handed a soccer-ball sized globe to the Doctor.  
Amy leaded over to River. "Where are we? What is this? "  
She opened the file on her comm-device again. " It's an Aplan Mortarium, sometimes called a Maze of the Dead."  
"Please be wrong," mumbled Tella, raising all alarms in Rivers head.  
"What's that?" asked mother.  
"Well, if you happen to be a creature of living stone…." the Doctor kicked the globe into the Air, where it started floating like a tiny white sun. "The perfect hiding place."

Statues. Statues everywhere.  
River had heard about those temples before, she had meet the Arplans after all, but this was bad. Really bad. A huge maze of caves, tunnels, alcoves and bridges full of statues.  
Beneath her, Tella splat a gallifeyan word she never heard before. The Doctor twitched with instantly red ears and a really offended and ashamed outcry. "Tella!"  
"Apologies," she ventured absentminded, still starring up at the vast space with thin lips. "Well at least there will be no more deaths once Bob's mind vanishes."  
A solider cringed and the Pater turned around. "What do you mean by that."  
"I don't know. It is rare I understand things I see without a context. But this seems to be the nasty surprise I had spoken about."  
"A stone Angel on the loose amongst stone statues. A lot harder than I'd prayed for. "  
"So it seems."

Out of the corner of her eye River thought there was something in Tella's eyes; that she gave the Bishop an look with a hell of meanings but there was nothing. Just her paranoia, the aftereffect of being a Prisoner way too long combined with the fact that Tella watched her, hellbent on figuring her out for sure.  
She searched for her voice and was finally able to whisper: "A needle in a haystack."  
The Doctor gazed around. "A needle that looks like hay. A hay-like needle of death. A hay-alike needle of death in a haystack of, err, statues."  
Tella cleared her throat meaningful. He adjusted his jacked uncomfortably exactly at the same time. "No, your's was fine."  
Octavian raised his eyebrows. " Right…. Check every single statue in this chamber. You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection." He looked at the Doctor. " One question. How do we fight it?"  
The Doctor smiled and stepped forward. "We find it. And hope."

Amy followed him and the second River wanted, too, the Bishop grabbed her arm and pulled her close.  
"He doesn't know yet, does he? Who and what you are"  
She repressed all her instincts, licking her lip. So he definitely knew it. "It's too early in his time stream."  
"Well, make sure he doesn't work it out, or he's not going to help us." Oh this guy had no idea!  
"I won't let you down. Believe you me, I have no intention of going back to prison."  
She raised her eyebrows meaningfull, turned and met Tellas curious gaze, again. She straightened defensively and followed her husband with straight steps into the maze, leaving that Idiot of a Bishop behind. Just to find Amy standing in the tunnel rubbing her eyes.

 **"** You all right?"  
She cringed and smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. So, what's a Maze of the Dead?"  
Always the curious one, but not a good liar. And she had to give her the stabilizers, in the chaos with the Angel she'd forgotten that. Maybe a bit of some Vitamins, too? She looked really pale, and River would not let anything happen to her. One shock was enough for today.  
So she reached for the medipac.  
And somehow the conversation turned form Mazes of the Deaths to the Doctor and their relationship, and it was so difficult but also funny to turn down Amy's really good observation. Well she's Amy Pond, of course she is good!

And then there was gunfire.  
It seems they found it rather quickly. At least something good.  
Or not. Because as they reached the main group it apparently was just a over frightened young solider, already being scolded by Octavian. "..No, _sir_ , it is not. According to the Doctor, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil, so it would be good, it would be _very_ good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of decor."  
"He has better instincts than anyone else in these rooms."  
Octavian turned clearly annoyed to the Time Lady. "I'm sorry?"  
"Nothing." Even if her eyes spoke otherwise, just for a second. The same gaze as before. So it was not only Rivers paranoia.  
"What's your name?", the Doctor piped up out of nowhere.  
"Bob, sir."

Oh. This explained everything.  
The Doctor grinned especially wide." Ah, that's a great name. I love Bob. "  
"It's a Sacred Name. We all …"  
"You are concerned about your death because of what I told you before, am I right?", Tella interrupted the Bishop with a kind voice.  
The Solider, Bob, gulped and nodded. Of course he was.

Of course he was scared. There were legends and myths about the last Time Lady.  
Unlike the Doctor, who created his legend on his own, she was known to be a member of that old mysterious race and therefore, she was associated with reputation of those legendary, told-to-be-godlike creatures (River knew they werent, but that warer lefends for you). The last guardian, silently but benevolently watching out of the shadows, but unlike her deceased specimen always helpful and present whenever needed, even if she never takes a side.  
Gifted with the ability to see the future, paired with some other, downright magical abilities she could or could not process, she only appeared when truly necessary or unavoidable, making her involuntary an omen of bad luck. She saved people, but you never wanted the Storyteller to come and need to save you ever.  
Getting a death warrant form someone like this, tends to scare people, yes.  
But apparently they weren't here yet. Well at least not in _her_ timeline.

Still, Tella's normal stoic face turned into a soft, amused smile. "Humans. You will never understand that time is in constant change."  
"But, Ma'am, you predicted…"  
"No one is able to predict the future. Only to see it, dearie."  
Bob blinked confused. "There is a…difference?"  
"Of course there is. Your past is easy to read, compared to to an rope or no.. a carpet, still on the loom. Your past is already finished, the different cords and colors already woven. Changing, yes. But in a pattern. Your Future? There are so many different colors, and materials you can use, so many decisions to make. When you see the future, you see all those lined up before you. All the possibilities, every decision leading to even more possibilities as widespread and thin as the plating of twigs in the crown of a tree. But which one you will actually take? I have no Idea."

"But there is a… a chord where I'll die."  
She spread her arms. "Every living being in this room has a Timeline where it will die. But everyone has at least one where they will live, too." She leaned forward. "Even you, Bob."  
The Doctor nodded and placed a reassuring hand on the young soldiers Arm. "And scared keeps you fast. Will help you to follow that special Timeline. Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron. Right Tella?"  
She needed a second but answered with a strange meaningful undertone "They are."  
Ouch. River suppressed a giggle at the view of the Bishop's sour face as the Doctor addressed him. "Carry on."  
"We'll be moving into the Maze in two minutes. You stay with Christian and Angelo. Guard the approach."

-o0O0o-

"Isn't there a chance this lot's just going to collapse? There's a whole ship up there."  
River shook her head. " Incredible builders, the Aplans."  
"Had dinner with their Chief Architect once. Two heads are better than one." Sometimes the Doctor was such an showoff and namedropper.  
Amy's eyes widened in surprise. "What, you mean you helped him?"  
"Arplans have two heads," explained Tella dry but with that hinting tone again.

Something was terribly wrong in this halls, River could feel it. And Tella apparently, too. She talked and listened carefully and clearly interested, bickered with the Doctor and rolled her eyes amused. But her dignified but friendly face was a even more stoic mask than normal since they started to climb up the levels and she always seemed to be in a subtle hurry urging the people to carry on. Not by telling them but simply starting to slowly saunter forward whenever they stopped for more than half a minute. She had to be terribly scared beneath that façade.

And the Doctor was completely oblivious.  
Or he simply choose to ignore it, as most things. He distracted River by asking to read that one paragraph about the Time of the Angels aloud once more, and she couldn't help to think sarcastically that he was a dramaqueen after all, only wanting to raise the tension as they walked on, slowly reaching level after level.  
The Doctor smiled. "Lovely species, the Aplans. We should visit them some time." Now he tried to loosen the tension.  
Amy raised her Eyebrows. " I thought they were all dead?"  
"So is Virginia Woolf. I'm on her bowling team."  
"Timemeddler," noted Tella soundless.  
"Namedropper,"mouthed River in response with the same glint in her eyes.  
Completely oblivious the Time Lord continued. "Very relaxed, sort of cheerful. Well, that's having two heads, of course. You're never short of a snog with an extra head."  
And again there was this short glistering in Tella's eyes, filling Rivers stomach with dread. Apparently Tella would not tell them, so they had to figure it out on their own. "Doctor, there's something. I don't know what it is."  
"Yeah, there's something wrong. Don't know what it is yet, either. Working on it."  
So he did noticed not only Tella's restlessness but the strange, wrong feeling in the air after all.

"Of course, then they started having laws against self-marrying. I mean, what was that about? But that's the Church for you…" He stopped and realized who he was talking to. " Err, no offense, Bishop."  
"Quite a lot taken, if that's all right, Doctor." Octavian answered dry and marched on, leaving the Doctor with a slightly rued face and silenced for the next few minutes.  
"Lowest point in the wreckage is only about fifty feet up from here. That way."  
"The Church had a point, if you think about it." Amy tried to lower the tension. "The divorces must have been messy."  
"Oh", whispered the Doctor and turned slowly, panic in his eyes.  
"What's wrong?", asked Amy.  
Oh yeah, the decision which head would leave the body,so only one head….  
One head. Arplans had two heads. Not one, like all the Statues out there. Statues out of stone.

"Oh."  
"Exactly," he choked.  
"One hour, ten minutes, 37.26 seconds. What is wrong with you two," Tella growled in a low voice. "I never even once met the Arplans, but noticed on the first sight!"  
"Noticed what", demanded Amy to know. "Guys?"  
Even Octavian griped his gun harder: "What's wrong, sir?"  
"The Arplans." River slowly said. "They have two heads."  
Tella finally dropped the bomb: "Every single statue inside this building is a Weeping Angel."

The Doctor raised his hands. "We don't know that for sure."  
"Yes we do. The energy leaking out of the ship is able to awake every single one of them. Have you not listen to the story River have read to you? The Time of the Angels. We need to reach that ship before they are strong enough to move and kill us. Pater, you said the wreck is about 50 feet that way?"  
"You could have said something! You must have said something!"  
"To have a bunch of nervous soldiers like that young pup down there scared of every single shadow. I had that once, at the moon of Malscovador. You know how that ended, Doctor"  
"That's no excuse!"  
"Moon of what," asked Amy noticing the dark shadow in the Doctors eyes.  
"Later," Tella dismissed. "Now we need to reach that ship."  
"Tella-"

"Doctor, please. What is done is done, we can discuss this later. They are growing stronger every second."  
The Doctor raised his finger with puckered lips searching a few seconds for words, before he splat out: "We will talk about this!"  
She raised an eyebrow. "I have already apologized."  
Octavian carefully cleared his throat. "Sir, I hate to say so, but she has a point. If she's right, there really is not time for that now." He threw her a dark look. "I'll explain it to the families of all the dead when you two have flown away in your little blue box."  
"If you survive," she comented nonchalantly and marched on.  
River bite her lip and suppressed the urge to slap her, which even got harder the moment the Time Lord turned at the corner and looked back. "For time's sake! You do want to end up as their prey, do you not? Come on, hurry up a little, Doctor, time for your favorite hobby!"  
Taking in a shaking breath to calm himself, the Doctor turned to the rest of the group. "Come on, let's get out of here."  
She wasn't sure if she understood the mumbled addition correctly, but it twinged her heart.  
"I start to remember why I've left that draft planet."

They started to hasten trough the tunnels, carefully avoiding every single Statue.  
The Pater gripped his Walkie-talkie in mid-run: "Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please. Any of you, come in!"  
First there was just statics but then a voice sounded through the small device. " It's Bob, sir. Sorry, sir."  
Visibly relieved Octavian pressed the speaker to his Mouth. " Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you? All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active."  
"I know, sir. Angelo and Christian are dead, sir. The statues killed them, sir."

They all stopped in an instant and the Doctor grabbed the Walkie-talkie out of Octavian's hand, despite his annoyed protests.  
"Bob, Sacred Bob, it's me, the Doctor."  
"I'm talking to…"  
"Where are you now?"  
"I'm talking to my …"  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, shut up!"  
Bob's voice crackled. "I'm on my way up to you, sir. I'm homing in on your signal."  
" Ah, well done, Bob. Scared keeps you fast. Told you, didn't I. Your friends, Bob. What did the Angel do to them?  
"Snapped their necks, sir."  
"Their necks?" repeated Tella unbelieving.  
Her fellow speciesman gave her a look. "That's odd. That's not how the Angels kill you. They displace you in time. Unless they needed the bodies for something."  
Octavian snatched the device back. "Bob, did you check their data packs for vital signs? We may be able to initiate a rescue plan…."  
"Oh, don't be an idiot." the Doctor interrupted and stole it back." The Angels don't leave you alive. Bob, keep running. But tell me, how did you escape?  
"I didn't escape, sir. The Angel killed me, too."

What?  
Tella closed her eyes in silent mourning, while River changed a sad side-glance with Amy.  
The Doctor slowly pulled the device to his mouth, his eyes locked with Octavian's. "What do you mean, the Angel killed you?"  
"Snapped my neck, sir. Wasn't as painless as I expected, but it was pretty quick, so that was something." That voice. As if he was talking about a boring game of space-cricket or something like that.  
"If you're dead, how can I be talking to you?"  
"You're not talking to me, sir. The Angel has no voice. It stripped my cerebral cortex from my body and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion."  
River escaped an angry hiss.  
The Doctor throw her a look. " So when you say you're on your way up to us….  
"It's the Angel that's coming, sir, yes. No way out."

Tella nodded. "Up to the wreckage. Now."  
"You knew." One of the clerics whispered. "You told us that there will no more deaths when his mind vanishes. Not his Body. You lied. Again."  
Octavian snodded. "It's her nature. That's what always happens when you're dealing with the Celestial Storyteller."  
Tella froze.  
"Do not call me that again, or I actually will tell you a story." she said silently.  
And to Rivers surprise the Bishop nodded respectfully, avoiding her eyes while she turned and marched forward.  
The Doctor shoved Amy softly forward. "Go! Go, go. Please, I'm coming."  
River nodded and guided her mother with fast paces out of the room. She ignored the fact that the both of the two men didn't follow immediately but caught up petty fast, and concentrated on the statues in their way. So many of them. So many.

"But there was only one Angel on the ship. Just the one, I swear!"she growled .  
"Could they have been here already?"suggested Amy.  
The Doctor turned but didn't slowed down. "The Aplans. What happened? How did they die out?"  
"Nobody knows."  
"Now we do," corrected Tella while effortlessly sidestepping a Statue directly in the middle of the path.  
Sometimes River wished she had inherited those double hearts, too. Doubles your speed and condition after all.  
"They don't look like Angels."  
"And they're not fast." Amy added to Octavian's observation. "You said they were fast. They should have had us by now. "  
"They're dying, losing their form. They must have been down here for centuries, starving. OH! Genius!" He stopped mid-track.  
"Doctor? " asked Amy weary.  
"Don't you see? All that radiation spilling out the drive burn. The crash of the Byzantium wasn't an accident, it was a rescue mission for the Angels!"  
"The Time of the Angels," realized Amy.  
"We really need to get out of here. Fast." declared River. No wonder Tella was in such a hurry. Wait. Did she knew that, too. They really need to talk once they reached the ship.  
The Ship.

"Wait!" she screamed. "What about the Angel in the ship."  
"I personally prefer one to a whole army of them." dismissed Tella.  
The Doctor shook his head an snatched Octavian's Walkie-talkie once again.  
"Angel Bob. Which Angel am I talking to? The one from the ship?"  
"Yes, sir. And the other Angels are still restoring"  
"Ah, so the Angel is not in the wreckage. Thank you." He threw it back to the Pater. "Here we go."  
River raised her eyebrow at the absurdness of the situation. "Okay. So.. the ship."  
"The ship."  
With that they started running again. This time for real.

-o0O0o-

The sounds of metal creaking echoed through the vast cave. Above them the Grav-globe illuminated a vast, torched and partially still burning, bent surface of silver.  
"Well. There it is, the Byzantium." Octavian peeked carefully up there. River, too.  
"It's got to be thirty feet. How do we get up there?"  
He didn't answered, but turned to his men: "Check all these exits. I want them all secure"  
Tella looked back in the corridor they came from." By the state of those over there, we actually have saved some time. Now we need to figure out how to get up there."  
"As I said."  
"I simply repeated you to clarify it."  
River rose her eyebrow. "Everybody is a little pissed at you right now, so you should follow my advice to be a little more..careful."  
Tella nodded. "All right."

Amy watched them both concerned, and tried to distract them. "So. How _do_ we get up there? Doctor? Pater Octavian?"  
"Actually-"  
Tella huffed: "Really? No rope or other climbing equipment, anything to get up there? You are going into a system of caves without a rope?"  
"Bob had the ropes," disrupted a cleric.  
Tella snapped her mouth shut. "Oh."  
River leaned forward. "What did I just said?"  
"Apologies." she mumbled half-heartily. River shuddered and suppressed the sick feeling in her stomach. They were _not_ that early!

"We could climb up the walls. The rock-structure is rough enough and there are also those vines.", Amy suggested.  
"And break our necks, sure," Octavian responded.  
Tella rose one eyebrow. "It actually could work, but it is way too slow and dangerous."  
Amy shrugged her shoulders. "Well, there is no other way. We can't overcome gravity."

The Doctor whirled around. "We can! Pond, you are brilliant!" He kissed her hair.  
"Oh Guardians, no!" Tella rubbed her forehead in defeat. "You are absolutely mad!"  
"You said it needed to be fast!"  
"Yes but I never meant to… Whatever."  
"Better plan?"  
"Just be silent and do it. And this does not mean I approve."

Rivers head slowly turned suspiciously from one to another. "What are you two planning to do ?"  
The Doctor smiled mysteriously. She knew that smile, he was going to do something amazing and completely showoff again. " Do you trust me?"  
Amy grinned. "Yeah"  
River still unsure nodded. "Always"  
"Never," Tella declared.  
The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned to the clerics. "You lot, do you trust me?"

"Sir, Incoming!"

And really there was one single statue - more a human shaped rock than an actual Angel but still - pointing his hand at them. The torches flickered. Octavian stared one second at the lone figure before he nodded. "We have faith, sir."  
The Time Lord grinned and snapped his fingers. "All right. Then give me your gun."  
Surprised the Pater did as told.  
"I'm about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous." The Doctor declared. "When I do, jump!"  
"Jump where?"  
"Just jump, high as you can. Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On my signal. One, two, three!"  
The single shot thundered through the whole maze as the Grav-globe exploded into a glibbery glowing liquid.

-o0O0o-

To be continued ...

* * *

 **AN:**  
As you might have noticed, there are some mayor changes to the plot and this will even continue in the next part. It is a rewrite with another character thrown in the mix so the storyline changes.  
For example they not needed to pull that insane stunt with the torches to confirm that all those statues are Angels, because Tella already knows it. I actually don't like it much because she is not such a know it all as she seemed here. She simply read a lot of books, loves tales, legends and myths and some of them were about the Weeping Angels. Because of her constant nagging to hurry up and also not doing the thing with the torches, they are about ten or twelve minutes ahead of the shows timeline. That's the reason Amy's hallutinations haven't started yet or the Angels haven't caught up.

Tella is a huge jerk in these first storylines untill chapter 9, but she gets better, just like River told. But first it's getting worse. Next chaper we enter the byzantium, and things get serious.

Oh and thanks to SlytherinHolmes for my first fav.

As always, read and review!

Greetings  
alkatie

05112016  
Edid 12082018


	6. of white lies and half truths

**Disclaimer:** I own Tella, but no one else

 **Of white lies and half-truths**  
(S.5 Ep.5 Prt. II)

 _They reach the inner of the Byzantium when the Team makes an unpleasant discovery regarding Amy_

-o0O0o-

Their environment had changed, except it had not. Somehow they were still in that cave but firstly, everybody down on the floor and secondly, this floor was some kind of metal and definitely not stone. And the Tunnels with the Angel were gone. What just happened?

"Up. Look up." The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver.

Tella groaned and rubbed her head, swaying on her feet searching for balance. "I'll never ever do that again. Never! Was this really necessary?"  
Everyone slowly rose, and judging from the looks the clerics shared, Amy was not the only one confused.  
Dr. Song helped her on her feet "Are you okay?"  
She nodded but held her head. " What happened?"  
The archeologist gazed around with a smile. "We jumped."  
"Jumped where?"  
The Doctor waved upwards. "Up. Up. Look up. Now!"

What …?  
The cave…. Everything was turned upside-down. High up there she could see all the tunnels, terraces and balconies they spent the last two hours climbing up. Again. What?  
"Where are we!"  
Tella closed her eyes, collecting herself to her normal stoic self, before answered: "On the hull of the Byzantium."

No. Way.  
"No Way! How's that even possible!"

"Oh, come on, Amy, think. The ship crashed with the power still on, yeah? So what else is still on?"  
She hated it when he did that. He expectantly grinned at her before jumping up and down with an loud _klonk_ , answering his own question.  
"The artificial gravity! One good jump, and up we fell. Shot out the grav-globe to give us an updraft, and here we are."  
"We..fell upwards?" He just overrode physics. That was so cool. Creepy, but cool!  
He grinned like a five year old in a candy-store with a free-card, the complete opposite of Tella with her white face and green nose. "Exactly. Defying gravity. Told you, you're brilliant. Isn't she brilliant Tella?"  
Before she could answer, the leader, no, bishop (she still wasn't quite sure what to think about that church-turned-into-army-thing) interrupted them.

"Doctor, the statues."  
He was right. Up… Down(?) there were now about two or three human shaped figures standing in the entrance of the tunnel, reaching their hands at them.

"They look more like Angels now, " observed Dr. Song.  
Amy gulped."They can't come up here, can they?"  
"At least not as fast as we did."  
This was the second the light flickered the first time. And that was all the time the Angels needed to pour into the cave. Not many, and more chunks than actually statues like the one she had been locked in with, but still…  
"Ok… we need to get into that ship. Now."  
The Doctor already jumped around, pointing his screwdriver on what seemed to be random points. "On my way, Pond."

"Doctor? Can I speak to the Doctor, please."  
Everybody froze for a second, then the Doctor took the bishop's Walkie-Talkie.  
"Hello, Angels. What's your problem? "  
"Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly. Sorry, sir."  
"We're far from finished."

Tella stretched out her hand. "Screwdriver."  
He looked like she had lost her mind.  
"The Angels admit it was fun, to watch you pull that stunt of jumping up there, but nothing more. It won't help you." Bob's voice answered melancholycaly.

"Screwdriver, now." Tella insisted. "You are busy talking."  
Reluctantly he gave it to her and she promptly kneeled down, while fumbling with it.  
He started to speak in the walkie-talkie again. "So? Then why are you telling me this?"

"There's something the Angels are very keen you should know before the end."

He opened his mouth to answer, when he was interrupted by Tella's annoyed voice. "Just how many settings has this thing!"  
"560."  
"Five hundred and _sixty?_ You desperately need a hobby."  
" _Setting_ No. 560. And I've got one. Manny, actually."  
"Hobbies or settings."  
He huffed and started to turn away again, when he realized her not only shaking his precious tool but even slapping against it. "Stop that!"  
"It does not work… ah." The whirring sound echoed through the cave.  
"No one treats my screwdriver like that!"  
"You do."  
"Yeah, because it's _mine_!"

"Doctor? Is the Doctor still there?"  
The Angels. How could he have forgotten he was mid-conversation with the Angels! Amy shook her head.  
The Doctor turned away and raised the Walkie-Talkie again.

"Sorry, got distracted a bit. There was something you wanted to tell me?  
"I died in fear."  
"I'm sorry?" Amy didn't like the look in his eyes a bit.

Next to them a circular hatch in the ground opened and Tella nodded satisfied. And froze at Bob's next words.

"You told me my fear would keep me alive, but I died afraid, in pain and alone. You lied to me, both of you, the Storyteller, too. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down."  
No. Amy didn't like that look in his eyes. Not a bit. She already saw him angry like that once, back in London. Shortly before he had completely freaked out and attacked that Dalek. What were those things thinking?  
"What are they doing! "  
Apparently it came out more than a question because Dr. Song answered with dread in her voice. "They're trying to make him angry."  
Well, Amy noticed that, thank you.  
As well as Tella's hand gripping her necklace.

"I'm sorry, sir.", the dead voice continued, "The Angels were very keen for you to know that."  
The Doctor gripped the Walkie-Talkie harder and took a breath, before he answered with barely contained anger in his carefully low voice.  
"Well then, the Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass. I'm sorry you're dead, Bob, but I swear to whatever is left of you, they will be sorrier."  
Here we go. Amy hated him getting that angry. He just wasn't himself. Not the doctor but something darker, more ancient. She was glad, that this anger never ever will be directed at her again, or so she hoped. One time, back on the starship UK was enough. Even if it fascinated her in a strange, dark way, how this kind, carrying being could become something so ruthless, so powerful. Someone who truly was able to save the universe and Punish the evil ones. Because gladly, injustice was the only reason for him going mad, and that was a real reason, wasn't it? He _was_ a hero after all.  
"But you're trapped, sir, and about to die."

He just started to answer when Tella placed her hand over the speaker. "Doctor."  
"What," he splat.  
Her voice was calm and friendly as ever. "Let me talk."  
"Not now."  
"Doctor, you are getting overemotional. That is exactly what they want and we have no time for that. The hatch is open. Go down there, I will talk to them."  
"What? Are you insane? I'll not leaving you behind!"  
What? Everybody looked at her as she was completely crazy. Which she probably was.  
"Tella, the Angels will…."  
"That was not my suggestion. It is just simple logic. As long as someone is standing outside here looking at them, they cannot move. This gives you the time to reach the panel down there and seal not only this hatch but the door at the end of that corridor."  
She took the Walkie-talkie out of the Doctors stunned hands and looked up (down?).  
"I'm not sure if I understood correctly, but you seemed under the impression we were trapped. May I inquire the reason for that assumption?"  
"Is this the Storyteller?"  
"Tella.. Lady Storyteller…!" The Doctor took a step forward but she raised her hand.

"It is. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Well no, it is not, I am merely saying this out of politeness, I am talking to an silent assassin after all. Who would guessed, I would be able to do that one day, but here I am. You know, it was one of my biggest wishes once, back in my young days at the academy, ever since I heard the first legend about you. To meet a Weeping Angel. What a foolish, naïve child I was, was I not? Of course I never voiced that wish, a Time Lord leaving Gallifrey simply out of curiosity, for another species nonetheless, what a horrible, unaproviative thought."  
The lights flickered again.

She pressed the Walkie-talkie at her collar. "River, Amelia, Bishop, get inside the ship. Now. They are growing stronger every second."  
Amy stared down the hole into the long vertical tube. "But how! It's… Doctor!"  
He jumped. That man simply jumped into a hole with a very, very long way down to the bottom and….

… stood on the wall. What?

Seeing her puzzled face he shook his head and rhymed: "It's just a corridor…. The gravity orientates to the floor. Now, in here, all of you."  
Tella nodded encouraging, before she started talking to the angels again. "But here I am. Talking to you. Which leads us to my former question. Why do you assume we are trapped?"  
"The Angels say the answer to that is quite simple. There is no way out."

One by another they jumped into the hole and boy… this was such a weird feeling . It was nothing like that jump up to the hull again, no. This was simply like jumping down. Completely normal jumping. Except sideward. Somehow. Because the second Amy stood in the corridor it was just that. A normal corridor, not this long vertical tube.

Tella's voice resounded ghostly in the passage:"That _is_ a simple and logical answer, even if it is a wrong answer. There is always a way out."  
"The ship is crashed and the engines are failing. The radiation will cook every single cell in your body, before you'll get to the other end of the ship. And even then the entrances are blocked with rocks and junk. It's impossible to get out of here, I'm sorry ma'am."  
"Nothing is impossible for a Time Lord. And we are two of them. We will figure something out."

The Doctor grinned at that and turned to Dr. Song. "What's down there?"  
"Secondary flight deck."  
He clapped his hands. "Perfect!"  
Of course the lights flickered exact this second again.  
"And that's not perfect. Far from perfect. Anyway. Come over here, all of you." They followed him in a rather big room with many control desks and a strangely oval wall with circles in it.  
The bishop looked down the hallway, back at the hatch.  
"Doctor, are you positive, she's going to make this. That's a rather long way."

"The Angels are curious on how you'll try to do that. They'll reach you soon."  
"Currently, they are just some gallifreyan-sharped rocks, standing down there, bathing in the flow of the leaking energies to gain enough power to come up here. I am positive that will change in the next few minutes, but we have enough time until then."  
"Time for what."  
"To escape and dispose of you, of course."

The Doctor nodded and started to work on a panel next to the door. "Yes."  
Dr. Song's voice was concerned. "You're lying."  
He didn't look up. "Yes."

"The Angels can't be killed, sorry ma'am. They're stone, and stone can't be destroyed."  
"Oh, that is something the most creatures does not realize. Stone can be destroyed, not by many things but one particular, which what we luckily have enough of."  
"And that is?"  
"Time, dearie."

"You can't leave her outside there!"  
"I won't."  
He pocketed the screwdriver. "All right, security-protocols are overridden in 10 seconds. Tella! You've got six seconds to come down in here from Nine. Eight. "

"The Angels are very amused. They say, this is exactly the thing you lack."  
"Oh, please stop that. Don not try to be so mysterious, I know exactly what you are talking about. I know what you have done. It is a fixed point in time. But this does not mean, you can get anyone. Not me, nor the Doctor."

"Five. Four. Three."  
"Just come in!" screamed Amy!

"And why do you think that?"  
"Because we are Lords of Time. And I just bought some more. Thank you for the conversation."

"NOW Tella!" The Doctor screamed as the door slowly started to move, the same time as Amy and Dr. Song shouted her name.  
"Tella!"

-o0O0o-

It wasn't necessary, because in the most surreal and impossible way, she made it. She swung herself inside the hatch in a way, she didn't landed on her feet but sledded a few feet down the corridor, somehow being able to jump up in a flowing motion, running a few more feet before leaping forward in a somersault – yes, a somersault- through the door, just a breath before it closed.

"This was awesome," Amy marveled, before she remembered, why Tella had to pull such a stunt. "Never do that again!" Anyone else than the Storyteller, she had definitely punched in the arm.  
Octavian nodded slowly. "I admit, that was rather effective. Very risky, but effective. I wasn't expecting that."

Tella carefully rose from her still crunched position, with a really green nose and nodded before she dusted off her clothes and straightened her hair.  
Dr. Song took a step forward and examinated her. "Are you all right?"  
The Storyteller smiled weak and nodded again, still not able or willingly to say something.  
"You're looking terrible."  
"I'm fine," her voice crackled a bit before it came back to normal. "Always had a problem with sudden gravity changes, that is all. As you might have noticed. Amy, could you please seal the door. Four times, clockwise."  
"Sure." She gripped the wheel and spun it.

Dr Song grinned. "That was truly remarkable."  
"It was mere luck. That little trick only works once out of thirty times. Last time my leg got crushed, I was not fast enough. Another Regeneration. This Time I am lucky, it seems."  
"Crushed your... You are completely mad! You shouldn't have risked your live like that!"  
"I am here to help. There are things I can and will not change but that was not one of them."  
"It's just, I wasn't expecting you to be able to do something like that. It's not, something a Time Lord would do?"  
"I was a solider once, too."

"A warrior," snided the Doctor silent. "None of our soldiers were trained to do something like that. You regenerated for the time war, to be of better service."  
Her voice was calm as ever, but her hand gripped her Necklace again while her eyes burned. "I regenerated in the time war. Which always turns out to be worse, as you know."  
"Sorry, I… Thank you, for doing that out there."  
"Don't. Please, don't."

Amy didn't listen.  
Because she didn't care about regenerations or time wars or whatever.  
She had a bigger problem, right here.  
And she realized, she was going to die.  
Numbly she stared at her… no at the things her arms had turned into, barely registering the ongoing conversation.

"We need to somehow seal those doors."  
"Finished. Already magnetizised the two."  
"Won't hold them back long but it buys us time. Again. Good."  
"Doctor, we need to get out of here. In the primary flight deck is a teleport. We just need to find a safety passage."  
"May I suggest the direct way, straight down through the oxygen factory. I think it is right behind that wall here."  
"Of course! Thanks, yes!"  
"It's probably a sealed unit."  
"Yea, probably. But they must have installed it somehow. This whole wall should slide up."  
"There are clamps. Release the clamps."  
"Amy come over here, you're gonna like that! Amy?"

The Doctor's face turned up right in front of her. "Amy? Are you all right?"  
"It's ok. You can go. Don't wait for me."  
"Amy, let the wheel go."  
She half sobbed half smiled."I can't. No, really, I can't."  
"Why not?"  
Was he deaf? "Look at it. Look at my arms. They're stone."

"You looked into the eyes of an Angel, didn't you?"  
Why did he changed the subject now. " I couldn't stop myself. I tried."  
The Doctor placed his hands on her cheeks and looked deep in her eyes. "Listen to me. It's messing with your head. Your arms are not made of stone. "  
Really. Did he really think this old trick will work with something like that!  
"They are," she insisted. "Look at it!"  
He shook his head. "It's in your mind, I promise you. You can move that hand. You can let go"

Dr. Song turned up next to the Doctor. "He's right. Your Arms are completely normal, living mussels, flesh and bones."  
Why didn't they believed her! "I can't, okay? I've tried and I can't. It's stone."  
"You can! Concentrate. Move your hand. "  
"I can't. You've got to go. All of you, please! You know you have. You've got all that stuff with River and that's all got to happen. You know you can't die here.  
"Time can be re-written. It doesn't work like that. And I'm not going. I'm not leaving you here, do you understand. No one of us is going to leave you behind."  
"But.. I don't need anyone of you die for me! Just go!"

"You can move your hand." Tella joined them.  
"No! It's stone. My whole arms turned into stone, can't you see it!"  
"They are not stone. It's a hallucination, created by the Image of the Angel on your retina. It is causing you to see things not real. Move that arm, Amelia, now. You are able to do so."  
"A... An Angel on my Retina?"  
"Yes. You looked long enough into the eyes of the angel, he was captable to burn an image of himself inside your eye. And whatever bears the image of an Angel, becomes an Angel."

She started to panic. "I've got a _Weeping Angel_ in my eye!"  
"That is not important. Right now, you must concentrate on moving your hand."  
"Not Important," exploded the Doctor, "Not important?"  
"It is not. Right now, we need to get her hands away from that wheel, we are losing all the time we saved. Then we can search for a cure."

"You knew," whispered the Doctor suddenly. "You knew it all along!"  
"I beg your pardon?"  
"You knew it! You checked her eyes! You told the Angels right there outside, just a few minutes ago, told them you knew what they had done!"  
"I bluffed, nothing more. I checked her eyes, yes, because I had the suspicion, but I could not see anything. Your little pet was completely fine."

Pet?  
"Pet? Pet! Amy isn't a…. That's it, isn't t? Humans are barely animals to you!"  
"No! What are you thinking of me. They are an intelligent species. They are humans!"  
His voice went cold. "But they are not Time Lords."  
She smiled amused. "Of course, they are not Time Lords."  
"That doesn't give you the right to gamble so careless with their lives!"  
"I do not gamble with something as valuable as a live, Doctor. Never ever, dare to accuse me to do something like that again!"  
A storm brewed in the Doctor's eyes. "But you sacrifice them."  
And Tella didn't answered.  
Their noses were not even half a inch apart from each others, as the Doctor continued with clearly restrained anger.  
"You sacrifice them for the greater good. For time itself, right."  
"If it is necessary."

Dr. Song stepped forward, clearly angry. " You sacrificed Amy Pond's Life?!"  
Tella turned nonchalantly. "Yes."  
For some strange Reason, Dr, Song went rigit. "If she dies, I …"  
"She will not." Tella interrupted with the same voice as ever. " There is a fixed point requiring her in a special constitution, nothing more. She will be fine."  
"She's a human," the Doctor growled. "She can't regenerate. She only has one life and then she is going to die. Finitely!"  
"I was in the time war, Doctor. I learned the true meaning of death. Not just the gallifreyan one."  
"But you have no idea how fragile they are!"  
"Apparently robust enough to be trusted to complete a mission like this."  
"You're disgusting," whispered the Doctor. "People like you were the reason why our society was rotten like that."  
"One day you'll understand. I'm simply keeping you alive."

"Don't. Do not use that cheap trick. You've hurt someone I love, someone I love very much, and I am very, very angry at you, Milady Storyteller. I tolerated your behavior back in london and after it. But this is enough. When we're finished here , I'll search you a planet where you can't cause trouble and we will never see each other again!"  
He took a deep breath and visibly forced himself to calm down. " And untill then, you will use that brain of yours to find a cure for her. You will not speak a word today anymore, unless you're telling us exactly what's going on and what games you're playing, or I swear, I swear by time itself you will deeply regret it. Understood!"

"I see, you clearly missed your lessons in detachment, just like Lord Borussa always complained."  
"Tella!" It was the most hateful word he ever had spoken.  
The Storytellers lips thinned and she nodded gracefully. "As you wish, Lord Regent Doctor."  
Then she turned and placed her hand on Amy's petrified hand and…

"Ouch!"  
The sharp pain of clove-clad nails digging into her flesh, let her immediately pull back her hand…  
Her hand!

Tella's warm-as-ever-smile send shivers down Amy's neck. "See? Not stone."  
Amy gulped and rubbed her hand. This woman was cold, dangerous and apparently after her life. "What's gonna happen now."  
"Well, if you start counting down, close your eyes."

Dr. Song's face was full of disgust."I always wondered why you've changed. Now I'm glad you did."  
"Spoilers, Dr. Song."  
She stopped next to a control unit. "If you allow I will now open the hatches.  
The Doctor threw her a hateful look but, nodded. And the Storyteller started typing.

-o0O0o-

To be continued.

* * *

 **AN:** Hello.  
Well, that was intense. Poor Tella, she just wants to help the Doctor.  
She actually reminds me a bit of Missy here, those two are an interesting combo.  
Yes, she knows Borusa, even if she's from another chapter.  
I also hope that stunt doesn't turn her into a Mary Sue. She has some tendencies to that, with her foreseeing, not yet exposed powers and her back story. I had to pull something similar to that once in my drama course in school and it was hell. Swaying in the one end of the stage, sliding across it, jumping up running and doing a somersault into the backstage at the other end. In a long skirt. Luckily we just played it four times on stage, and nothing went wrong, but as I said before, it was hell. I sometimes still feel the bruises. ;-)  
About that Lord Regent thing; I've somewhere read – don't know if it's canon or not- that's the title given to every resigned President of Gallifrey. Tella always uses it to rile the Doctor, because he cant stand the formalities, and that's one of his formal titles.

Thanks to zoey-the-catgirl for favoring this story.

As always, read and review!

Greetings  
alkatie

20112016


	7. Blind to

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the TARDIS

 **Blind**  
(S.5 Ep.5 Prt. II)

 _Sometimes you have to close your eyes to see clear._

-o0O0o-

"It's a forest."  
Amy couldn't believe it. There was a Forest in this spaceship. On the other hand, why not. The Doctor had a swimming pool in his library (she didn't find neither of it , yet) so why not some trees on a spaceship. But this was a whole forest!  
Dr. Song nodded."Yeah, it's a forest. It's an oxygen factory."  
"And if we're lucky, an escape route." the Doctor added.  
The archeologist raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"  
Amy needed a second before realizing she talked to her."Me? Nothing"  
She barely registered the Doctor talking to Octavian, ignoring the two. A forest. "Bishop, is there another exit? Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there."  
"On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels."  
The sight of the Solider really climbing into this, proving it was not a joke or illusion, woke her out of her surprised trance. "But trees! On a spaceship!"  
"Oh, more than trees." the Doctor grinned and stepped into the forest, starting to dig at the bark of one.  
"Way better than trees. Told you, you're going to love this! Treeborgs. Trees plus technology. Branches become cables become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an ecopod running right through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle on a space ship in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Amy Pond?"  
From as second to the next his face darkened and he bounced back to her. "Nine?"

Amy gulped but tried to smile. What did he do? "Out of ten?. No, definitely a ten. Or have you something more impressive in store?"  
He gazed her with a strange, suspicious gaze. "Perhaps."  
"Found one exit. As the Lady said, primary deck." disrupted the Pater.

The Time Lord twirled around and clapped his hands. "Perfect. That's where we go!"  
"Already plotting the safest path."  
"Great," smiled Amy and shrank back as everybody focused on her. "What?  
"Eight?" asked the Doctor and stepped closer, now definitely inspecting her.  
"I'm sorry?"  
"You're counting. Down.", explained Dr. Song with a strange edge in her voice.  
"I'm not."

The Doctor turned sharply. "Tella?"  
The Time Lady standing obediently by the console came over, examined her with a quick glance and explained: "The Angel does. You need to close your eyes."  
"The Angel in my head is _counting down_?"  
"Yeah," mumbled the Doctor absentminded, still staring into her eyes.  
She gulped. "To what?"  
"Your death," answered Tella straight forward. "That is why you have to close your eyes."

This woman was just… "Sure. So it can kill me even faster!"  
She hated the panic in her voice. NO. She hated that calm, reasonable voice more.  
"No it will not. It is the same as you did, back in the drop ship. Your view is just a image, produced in your brain out of the information of the light falling on your retina. Closing your eyes is the blip, remember? The one you used to stop the video. No light in your eye, no Image of the Angel. Now close your eyes, Amelia, please."

She gulped. "No. Please, I don't… She wants to kill me, Doctor!"  
The Doctor placed his hand on her cheek. "I don't know if she s after you or not, but she is right with this. You have to close your eyes. Turn the light and the image off."  
"NO. I don't _want_ to!"  
"Amy. Amy look at me. It's the Angel, not you! It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes. Now."  
She squeezed her eyes shut and from one second to the next that freezing panic was gone. She took a deep breath. "It's gone…"

"For the moment," Tella said. " You have to keep your eyes closed from now on. I am not trying to kill you, Amelia. I did this to you and it is my responsibility to keep you alive. Do you understand?"  
She nodded.  
The Doctor moved. "Bishop, this path you're plotting, can we take it blind?"  
"We need a few more minutes for making the adjustments. I think…"

"Doctor? Excuse me? Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir."  
This was exactly what they needed, now. This guys had the worse Timing ever.

"Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life? Sorry, bad subject."

"The Angels are impressed by your attempts of staying alive. They started to enjoy your futile struggles."  
"Glad to contribute to your entertainment. Must have been ages since you had a good laugh, surely feel like a lifetime ago. Oh sorry again."

"You know how ridiculous this is yourself. Keeping the eyes of your friend closed won't help her. She can't keep her eyes closed all her live. She will open them, maybe accidently, but then we shall take her. As we shall take all of you here. We shall have dominion over all time and space.  
"Get a life, Bob. Oops, sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much."  
"With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand."  
And then there was this sound, like fingernails on a chalkboard or metal screeching against metal, raising the hair in your neck and role up your toenails. Amy flinched and covered her ears.  
Dr. Song's voice had an edge of fear: "What's that? Dear God, what is it!"  
The dead voice out of the Walike-talkie crackled. "It's hard to put in your terms, Dr. Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing."  
Laughing? They were able to laugh?

"Laughing?" the Doctor asked, too.  
"Because you haven't noticed yet, sir. The Doctor in the TARDIS hasn't noticed."  
"That was too close. They are outside the ship." mumbled Tella.  
"Of course they are."  
"On the hull, up here." She deadpanned.  
"Doctor, we need…" pressed the Bishop with an urgent voice.  
"No. Wait." The Doctor interrupted him, "There's something I've… missed…."  
The ground started to shake. She stumbled and opened her eyes to catch herself on a console and looked up. A crack.

The Crack.  
"That's.. that's.. that's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl!" she spluttered.  
"Amelia, close your eyes immediately!" commanded Tella with an untypical strict, loud voice.  
She didn't care, this was impossible.

"Yes." The Doctor whispered, while snatching a box to climb up. "Two parts of space and time that should never have touched."

The shaking intensified and the Bishop turned. "Okay, enough. We're moving out!"  
Dr. Song nodded: "Agreed. Doctor?"  
"Yeah, fine." What was he doing up there.

Tella ran to the box which served him as a podest. "Doctor, what are you doing? Get down there, this thing is dangerous!"  
He grinned and pulled out his sonic. "Exactly!"  
"Foolish Timetodd! Come on. They will breach in every second!"  
He scanned the crack. "Go! I'm right behind! And Amy, close your eyes!"

"We're not leaving without you!" declared Dr. Song.  
He didn't even looked away. "Oh yes, you are. Bishop?"  
The clerics were already between the first trees. "Miss Pond, Dr. Song, Milady Storyteller, now! "  
No. She won't leave him behind. Why was he allowed to be left behind, but no one other? "Doctor!"  
Dr. Song griped her arm and pulled her out into the forest. "Come on!"

But …"Doctor!"  
"Go." The Storyteller stepped to the controls "Don't worry, we'll follow you right away."  
Was this a Time Lord thing, being allowed to be left behind?

Klonk.  
Loud, dull sounds, and the screeching of bent metal sounded behind the door leading into the corridor out to the hatch. Then complete silence.  
"They're in the Ship", whispered Dr. Song.

"Go!" roared Tella. "Do not worry. I have an Idea how to buy time and get him away from this rift. I promise you, River! Now go. And close your eyes, Amelia, for time's sake!"  
Dr. Song gulped. "You promise?"  
"Yes! Go!"  
The Doctor turned. "Oh, no. No, no, no! You'll go with them!"  
"You told me to use my brain helpfully so, try me," challenged Tella and started tipping on the panel.  
And Dr. Song pulled Amy away.

-o0O0o-

"You can't leave him with that mad woman! The last time she performed a stunt which costed her a leg in a former regeneration!"  
River stopped and turned to her mother. "Listen Amy. There are things I thought I knew about the Storyteller which turned out to be wrong. At least now. But there is one thing I knew is right and that's she never promises anything. If she does, she keeps it. It's the only reason I haven't shoot her straight into her head yet." She took a deep breath and continued in a calmer voice. "We need to find Octavian and the others."  
"Seven." Amy reluctantly agreed.  
River flinched. "You need to close your eyes. Take my hand, I'll guide you. You started counting again."  
"I kind of get a headache, too." She mumbled and closed her eyes.  
Slowly they made it through the forest, always homing on the clerics communicator.

"So… you know Lady Storyteller? From the future, I mean?"  
River shouldn't talk about this. But maybe it helped Amy to trust the Time Lady again. Or herself. "No. Not personal. The Doctor and you talked about her, sometimes."  
"So I'm there in the future?"  
"Spoilers."  
Amy chuckled dry. "Yeah. Got that. But you said she would change." Thank God, she still could laugh.  
"And I'm happy she did. Or will. Hopefully. Time can be rewritten after all."  
"So she.. gets nice?"

Lady Tella, the Celestrial Storyteller and nice? River laughed but before being able to answer, the Doctor screamed their names behind them. River turned and there they were.  
She kept her promise. Of course she did. The two Time Lords stopped before them, heavily breathing, him with a wide grin, her with an empty expresion as always. "There you are. Bought some time, Tella had the idea to seal the wall again. Won't keep them away a long time, but it will help. Seriously, this woman makes me crazier than you!"  
Tella nodded at River but ignored the Doctors outburst. "Where are the others?"

"Over here!" With perfect timing Octavian appeared on a hillside to the left.  
Tella nodded and reached out to Amy's shoulder. "Very well. This is a hill, so we need to…"  
"Don't touch me," Amy screamed and flinched back as soon as the glove-clad hand reached her.  
"What did I said about Amy", snarled the Doctor simultaneously.

Tella recoiled immediately. Oh yes, if her Sweety was angry something simple as saving his life or helping him to save others didn't calm him down one bit.  
Not until you have rightened your wrongdoings.  
"May I at least go ahead." There was a trace of bitterness in the Storytellers surprisingly obedient voice.  
"You may."  
Tella nodded, gathered up her skirt and started climbing, the three of them following her in a slight distance.  
Then Amy tripped over that damn root and crashed down the hill.

-o0O0o-

"Everything all right?" Tella seemed completely calm, but played annexious with her necklace.  
"I'm five. I mean five. FINE."  
River checked the scans one last time. "Ignoring the Angel, she is. You can close your eyes now."  
"I don't want to."  
"Amy, close your eyes. The vital check already cost you two numbers." The Doctor paced up and down the little clearing they currently stayed in, because of the rock where Amy could sit down.

River stood up. "She needs rest, she can't move on."  
"We will not leave her behind!"  
"May I suggest, using the teleporters?" Tella carefully inquired. "Pater Octavian, River and the Doctor will go ahead to the primary deck. Amy will stay here with the rest to protect her, and you will teleport us out of here."  
"No! Don't leave me alone with her, Doctor."

"Amelia, this is getting ridiculous!" Tella exploded. She took a deep breath and pulled on that mask again, but it somehow had cracked a tiny bit.  
"You do not need to be scared of me. I did anything to keep you from further harm. I apologize for not telling you, but one day you will understand why I had to act like I did. I do not expect you to trust me right now, I understand why you cannot. I understand why you are angry, and you have the right to be. I was not fair. But please accept me as I do you. Because it is hard, it is really hard to ignore everything you knew and learned all your lives, and that is exactly what I am doing right now. I do not apologize for what I did, because it is necessary. But I apologize for the way I treated you. I am sorry, Amy Pond, I am really sorry. I tried to help. I messed up. I trying to correct this. So please let me."

It was completely silent as everybody stared baffled at the Time Lady.  
Her ears turned red, as she fell back in her favorite pose, standing straight, hands placed over each other before her stomach. "Well?"

"It's the fastest solution." Octavian agreed awkwardly and started to give orders.

"Wow. Okay That was unexpected?" The Doctor wasn't quite sure how to react."You…"  
"Yes." insisted Tella.  
He scratched his head. "Okay. Alright. But this doesn't mean I'm not still angry with you!"  
"What did I just say, Doctor?"  
"Yeah. Right. Ehm." The Doctor placed his hand on Amy's shoulder. "Everything is gonna be all right. She wants to fix her mistakes, I'm sure she won't hurt you."  
"I know but… "Amy sighted helplessly.  
"Amelia." Tella locked her gaze with mothers and somehow something in it made Amy nod "Very well. Now please close your eyes."  
And Amy did as told.

"Okay," the Doctor clapped his hands. "What are we waiting for, clock is ticking." With this he pulled out his screwdriver and ran up the hill. On the top he turned. " Come one! Good luck, everyone. Behave. Do not let that girl open her eyes. And keep watching the forest. Stop those Angels advancing. Amy, later. River, going to need your computer so hurry up! And Tella! I try to trust you with this. Take care of her, understood!"  
The Time Lord bowed. "Yes, Lord Regent Doctor."  
"Tella, I'm serious!"  
"So am I, I assure you."

"Good." He turned and disappeared, leaving the whirring of his sonic as only trace. Octavian followed swiftly and River wanted too, but Tella blocked her way and pulled her near. "I trust you to handle this Teleporter, Melody. It's damaged in enough timelines."

And then, there was a slight mental touch. River threw up her mental shields immeiatly, just like she was tought from her childhood, but the expected attack never came. It just had been a slight mental bumb.  
A greeting from one Time Lord to another, no, an acnowledgement; the mental sniff they used to identlify each other even cross regenations.

She had figured it out.  
And unlike the Doctor, she fully acepted her as one of her own.

River stopped surprised. Tella must have glimpsed her timeline at some point. She nodded, of course she would take care of that teleporter. Their lives depended on it. Her Birthname was all it took to make this even worse, but on the same time it showed her that Tella was sincere in her willingness to help now. A promise to really taking care of Amy, because Tella knew who Amy was. But there was still that question. "Why do you suddenly treat humans as equals?"  
"The Doctor told me so."  
A shiver ran down Rivers neck. "When did you meet him."

"A few days ago. Is this of importance?"  
"So It's still active?"  
Tella froze. "How do you…"  
"Spoilers." She smiled a reasoning smile. A gleam of hope appeared in Tella's eyes. "Oh."  
River nodded and changed the topic. "I need to go or I'll never catch…" The words got stuck in her throat as she glimpsed over Tella's shoulder back to Amy. And everything made so much sense now.  
"So it has begun," whispered the Storyteller relieved.

-o0O0o-

"Yeah. Later. " mumbled Amy. She wasn't particularly happy to sit around blind in a forest full of weeping angels, even if they luckily haven't met one yet.  
Soldiers were fine but she felt more save with the Doctor. Why couldn't the Storyteller go instead him, surely she also was able to do whatever he had to do.  
Amy did not trust her.  
And still, the Storyteller had surprised her, yet again. And proofed, what Amy has suspected ever since London. The Storyteller was cold and calculating. But there still was some concience, some... humanity, for the lack of a better word. She wasn't human.

And the Storyteller was sorry, truly sorry not those half hearted apologies she always mumbled. It was strange seeing someone always looking down on people suddenly being on the same level. Even as she hadn't knew _how_ low the Storyteller saw others until this adventure.  
But Dr. Song said Tella will change, that both Amy and the Doctor were going to trust her. And maybe it was true.  
Amy had seen the real person behind the emotionless mask, just for an instance. These age-old eyes, but not empty and cold as she saw and expected them before, but full of feelings, of loss but also great happiness, anger, sadness, a little speck of love , hope and surprisingly a great deal of old, deep fear. And it was this fear which let her give the Storyteller a second change. Amy would never forget, but maybe she could forgive her in a while. She was going to treat her as a equal after all. Whatever this meant.

And then some warm hands clasped hers. The Doctor. "Amy, you need to start trusting me. It's never been more important. "  
"It's just .. her. I'm not sure what to do. And you, you don't always tell me the truth, either. Just when you need to."  
"If I always told you the truth, I wouldn't need you to trust me."  
"But what if something like this happens again! But with…"  
"Shh, sh shhh." He placed a finger on her mouth.  
"Neither me, nor her will ever let something like that happen to you again. We're even now. She was angry at me and I'm angry at her. But that's ok. Tella is a good person. She just needs some time to fit in. You will like her."  
"Can I forgive her?"  
"She forgave me. She didn't forget. It's the same with you two, than it's ok."  
Amy nodded slowly.  
"Fine. Now, listen. Remember what I told you when you were seven?"  
"What did you tell me? "  
He kissed her on her hair and pressed her forehead on his. "No. No, that's not the point. You have to remember." He sounded.. desperate?  
"Remember what?" But he was gone. "Doctor? Doctor!"  
"Just ask," he whispered somewhere in the distance. "Ask what! Doctor! Doctor?"

"He's gone to the primary flight deck." The Storytellers voice sounded a few feet next to her. Amy flinched. "Didn't hear you coming."  
"You were too deep in conversation. May I sit down?"  
Surprised she nodded. "Y-yes. Sure."

Next to her some clothes rustled. "How are you feeling."  
"Like sitting blind in a forest full of killers."

She chuckled, actually _chuckled_ and stayed silent for a few moments. Then: "You have a question."  
"I'm sorry?"  
"Your thoughts. I hear them buzzing around in your head. You want to know something. And it has nothing to do with getting rid of the Angel in your eye."  
The Doctor did this once, too. Apparently one of these Time Lord- things. Wait. Did he mean this with his last sentence? Just Ask. "You said, you ignore everything you learned all your life?"  
"The Academy teaches Time Lords are a superior race, and there are just a few reaching our level. And all my few experiences on that topic proved this true, but superior is apparently a matter of definition."  
"I have no Idea what you're talking about."  
"I've been taught to see lower races as barbarians. To respect them but not take them serious. Humans are a lower race. But the Doctor says they're not. Or at least I not shall treat them like ones. Because they're more advanced in other things, which we not deem necessary."  
"Oh", said Amy, not sure what to think. One of the four soldiers snorted but stay silent.  
"But now you want to treat me like a TimeLady?"  
" Yes. Well not like a Time Lord, you are none but… hach why are terrestrial languages so unspecified? "  
"Like your own people?"  
"No. It's difficult to…"

"Ma'am. The Trees," a solider interrupted.  
Tella stood up. "The Angels. They're here. Scan the surroundings!"  
After a second another answered. "The Angels are still grouping. But they are near, mere 30 feet, coming closer. Phillip, Are you getting this too?  
"The trees? Yeah".  
Amy gulped. "What's wrong with the trees?"

Tella's voice was calm as ever. "The Trees are going out. They are taking out the lights.  
"Here too, ma'am. They're ripping the Treeborgs apart."  
"Keep your positions", commanded Tella. "They are coming."

There were some sounds of wood breaking, then one solider screamed.  
"Angels advancing, sir."  
"Over here again."  
"Weapons primed. Combat distance five feet. Wait for it" .  
Amy gripped her hands. "What's happening, are they here? Tella!"  
"Not yet. Keep your eyes closed, Amelia. I will keep you inf…. Black Guardian! Not that thing again."

"What thing, what's happening!"  
"The ship's not on fire. is it?" asked a Solider.  
"No", Tella declined. "That is no fire."

"Marco, the Angels have gone. Where'd they go?"A solider noticed.  
"This side's clear too, sir. "  
"The Angels have gone, " asked Amy surprised.  
"Apparently yes," the Storyteller confirmed.  
"There's still movement out there, but away from us now. It's like they're running, " declared the guy with the scanner.  
"Running from what," demanded Amy to know. This was important. A weakness.  
"From the crack," mumbled the Storyteller. "They are time-sensitive, they know what it is."  
"Then, what is it! Tell me!"

"The Doctor and I have the theory of a crack in the shells of the universe," the Storyteller reluctantly explained. "This golden glow, you surely remember it –don't look- is possibly pure Time energy, bleeding out of the ripped vortex. It lured the angles, for them it seemed like a feast, but now they realized how dangerous it is and they flee. The same thing we should do. No one goes near that crack, understood? This will rip your timelines apart and delete you like you never existed. I need a communicator. Now."

There was some rustling before she spoke again.  
"Doctor. Doctor, this is the Storyteller. Answer please!"  
A few seconds nothing, then finally his voice. "Tella? Everything all right?"  
"We need a teleport here, now."  
"We need a few seconds here, do you think they can keep the Angels at bay?"  
"It is not the Angels, but that crack. A really big one this time. I am pretty sure now, your theory with that time-energy is correct. The Angels are running. We do not have much Time left, I can already feel the ripples."  
"Working on it. Keep everybody away from it."  
"I will try, but it is approaching very fast!"  
"We do our very best."  
"Doctor!"  
Somewhere in the background Amy could hear Dr. Song. "Got it!"

Then the Rock disappeared under her and she fell , and got caught in time by glove clad hands. The Storytellers voice was directly next to her ear, but strangely enough the panic didn't came again. More an strange feeling of comfort.  
"Easy, I have caught you. We got teleported. Keep your eyes closed. We are on the Primary deck."  
"Told you I could get it working." Amy could hear the satisfied grin in Dr. Song's Voice.  
"River Song, I could bloody kiss you." The Doctor declared joyfully.  
"Ah well, maybe when you're older."  
Then an alarm blared through the deck.

"What's that?"  
The Doctor stepped around the consoles before the wall. "The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means the shield's going to release. Here they come."  
And this exact moment Amy heard the walls slide up and the Storyteller pressed her protectively at her chest. "Do not worry, we figure something out," she whispered.  
And they did.  
With pure luck and perfect timing, they were able to send those Angels into the rift and close it, while they held dear to their life for not becoming a victim of the failing gravity themselves like one of the clerics who couldn't get a hold fast enough. They told her to look straight into the rift, so the Angel in her eye would disappear, too and she did. It was an awesome but really frightening sight, hanging above such an abyss with the maw of time on the ground. Then it was gone. And Amy and the three surviving clerics weren't the only ones laughing in relief.

-o0O0o-

"Bruised everywhere!" whined Amy as the Storyteller wrapped a warm, soft blanked around her.  
"Me too!"  
She snorted. "You didn't have to climb out with your eyes shut. Doctor."  
"Neither did you. We all kept saying. The Angels all fell into the Time Field. The Angel in your memory never existed. It can't harm you now." He tipped her nose.  
"Then why do I remember it at all? If it never existed, why do I knew about it?"  
"You're a time traveler now. Amy. It changes the way you see the universe, forever. Good, isn't it?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"You will get used to it," smiled Tella."Still, this went better than expected. We are still alive and I was able to at least save three persons who otherwise without my intervention had died. And secured that fixpoint."  
Amy nodded and gulped. "Did you do it as revenge?"

The Time Lady blinked. "I'm sorry?"  
"The Doctor said, you're even now, for what he did in London."  
"Of course not! This regeneration of me is notvengeful, I assure you. There was this fixpoint, nothing more. And I promise, I will warn you all if something like this happens again."  
"So it will happen again?"

"No. Never. Not like today. The Doctor told me so."  
"And you'll do like he told you?  
"I must."

"You must," repeated the Doctor.  
"It's something for another Time. We need to…"  
He gripped her Arm. "Storyteller. Tell me, why you need do what I told you. Because of this Lord Regent thing? You know I never really wanted to be the President."

"It is not that. I… I am a seer."  
"That's obvious," commented Amy. "What? She could tell the future. Well, see."

The Doctor shook his head. "It's not like that. Every Time Lord is able to see someone's Timeline, all the Timelines, yes, me too if I want to. A seer is able to recognize not only important decisions leading the string in one or another direction, but every decision ever made and all the different outcomes. Do you know how many decisions you make every day , every second, completely unconsciously? If you move your hand, you decide to do it in a special speed and stop it in a special angle. But you also could decide to do that in a different angle, a different speed. This simple movement alone leaves thousands of possibilities, not necessarily changing the Timeline, but there. And a seer is able to see them. But they were all sacrificed to the matrix in the war, so it could calculate the outcome more precisely!"

"They were not able to. I am not suitable."  
"You are not suitable. To the Matrix. Every Time Lord is suitable to be uploded into the matrix!"

She took a breath. "I caused... lets say a little trouble. They could not get rid of me, so they forced me to regenerate and used the chameleon arch to hide me in the colony. And because they feared me so much, they placed a chip inside my head so I have to listen to the Time Lord appointed as my warden and all the people he or she tells me to. So a Kapoaka was the perfect disguise. Kelliox was my last one and he appointed you as my new, Doctor."

"What?" screamed the Doctor stunned.  
"Stop. You've got a mind-controlling chip inside your head? Like some of this psycho-sifi stuff turning you into a willingness Zombie?" Amy stared at her. This was unbelievable. So this wasn't Tella at all, just some robot? What?

She chuckled. "No. We arere talking about the Time Lords, dearie. I am still myself, with my own decisions and mind. It is.. I am sorry I never was this good at mechanics, as I understand, it stimulates the mesolimbic system whenever it registers the presence of the Time Lord and a command from him or her. I basically get a good feeling from everything he says, and want to do it myself."  
"Time Lords detached themselves from feelings."  
"That is the reason I am not following you around like a xaxonan puppy."  
The Doctor was speechless.  
"That's terrible," whispered Amy.  
"It is not like I am able to differ between the fake and real feeling. I am just happy enough the Doctor does not use it for his own advantage as others did before." She grinned a little."It is terrible."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic, "Not if I can change that."  
"I appreciate that, but Dr. Song is leaving in a few seconds. And I can see you burning up to talk with her."  
"Tella…"  
"I will not run away. Besides, you wanted to abandon me on some timeforsaken planet, so why should it not be this one?"  
"Not yet."  
"I beg your pardon?"  
He hestiated then sighted. "You have one more chance. What you did to help Amy and said back then... One second chance. Only one. And I don't give them, normaly. So use it."  
And with that he turened around and jogged up to Dr. Song.

Amy hestiated. "So, you'll stay with us a little longer."  
"That has yet to be seen. Perhabs." But there was something that could be content in the Storytellers eyes.  
They both stared silently ahead, untill Amy couln't take the silence anymore and asked the question nagging her for the last few minutes.  
"Did you...cried so much about Kelliox, because he was your… Master?  
"He was my husband."  
Amy froze. "Your… Oh god! Tella, I'm so sorry."  
"I did not remember it back then, so it was not that hard."  
She gasped for air. "You are impossible!"  
"I am standing right next to you… oh that was a figure of speech."

The Storyteller allowed herself a shight. "I am sorry. I just have to learn to fit in, it is hard to find peace again so suddenly."  
"Let the Doctor help you. I'm sure he can fix you, he fixes the hole universe. That crack is gone, too."  
The Time Lords mouth twitched sadly. "For the moment. But the explosion that caused it is still happening. Somewhere out there, somewhere in time."  
"You said you always are in a good mood! So please stop glooming around."

-o0O0o-

It took three scans with the screwdriver and two with the TARDIS to locate the little device in Tella's head, and one more for the Doctor to admit, he wasn't able to get rid of it. But at least he could deactivate it, even if it send Tella unconscious. She was currently resting in her room, while the Doctor worked on the consoles and Amy sat there studying him, coming to a decision. "I want to go home."  
He froze, then nodded. "Okay."

Oh. He completely understood it wrong. On the other hand, it could be expected after what she had gone though. "No, not like that. I just, I just want to show you something. You're running from River. I'm running too."

* * *

 **AN:** Hi,  
I have the feeling, these things get longer every time.  
Wow, here it is, the finale of my rewritten Byzantium-arc. I had to reduce it to Amy's point of view, as the group split, otherwise it would have become waaay too long. And there just happened the same things as on screen, anyway, so it would become very boring. So yes, Octavian is dead. The only thing I kind of regret not being able to show is the silent interaction beetween Tella and the future Doctor from the pandorica. That's why River knows what's going on and what that last sentence he says realy means. Tella should simply ask, not Amy. But then again, that chapter already has _exactly_ 6 000 Words.  
And we get a glimpse of Tella's back-story. There is more to that, but the Doctor only gets the full thing in his Twelfth Regeneration, so please be patient, it will probably one of the last stories I'll post here. The countdown to the grand finale so to speak ;-)

I thought long and hard about her meeting him in his tenth regeneration, but in the beginning she gives the Doctor the full guilt trip of burning Gallifrey and the tenth is already hating himself so much for it, it would completely destroy him. I love the tenth Doctor and especially his constellation with Donna as best buddies, but it would be too much for him. Eleven choose to left all that stuff behind and so he is more resistant against her naggering.  
It is also important that Tella and the Doctor differ completely. The Doctor uses his Brain, he is very intelligent and has the experience of many lifetimes of traveling the whole universe.  
Tella is very intelligent, too and also born before him (what not necessarily makes her older, he is a time-traveler after all), but she never left Gallifrey until the time war and so all her knowledge comes from Books, legends and the (sometimes cliché-based) teachings of the Academy. She lacks actual practice. If you look like that, the Doctor is the stronger person. But Tella isn't a completely normal Time Lady, as we learned and as I said before, we'll get to that. And the thing making her so cold and dangerous is not only the teaching of the academy but the time war itself. Remember how bitter nine was in the beginning? That's Tella for you right now.

Thanks to for following this little collection, and of course zoey :-)

As always read and review.

Greetings  
alkatie


	8. A mother's pain

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who.

 **A Mother's Pain  
** (Missing Scenes - S5 E6)

 _Lady Storyteller has a girl talk with the big fish._

-o0O0o-

She stopped and blinked. Someone sat on the control unit… again.  
"It seems that people have developed a habit of not only breaking into my house, but also sitting on my chair."

The woman smiled and traced the ornaments with her glove-clad fingers. "I humbly apologize. Such a masterpiece of art and comfort is just too tempting not to try. Perfectly placed in the room, drawing all the attention to it, and not only because it is the only thing in here. You have excellent taste, Signora."  
"And you're not wondering about being the only one breaking into my house."  
She rolled her eyes and sighed, rose from the unit and began to wander around the hall. "What is it about all that straight-to-the-point demeanor these days? Nobody ever holds a simple conversation anymore."  
The woman turned back to her. "On the other hand, they just do not have the time anymore. Do you not think so?"

Signora Rosanna Calvirerri, as she called herself, couldn't quite hide her surprised snort. "Just how many of you are out there?"  
The Time Lord raised one eyebrow in a silent but polite question. Right. She sat down on her chair.  
"How many of you survived the war?"  
"Oh, three. No, let us say two. I am not sure with that one."  
"So, every existing Time Lord came to threaten me?"  
"What gives you the impression that I am threatening you? I want to help you."  
She froze and straightened up.  
The Time Lady stepped closer. "You need to leave the town. Immediately."

Rosanna laughed out loud. Of course. If you knew the opinion of one of them, you knew them all. "For one second, I believed you. You can run right back to your friend and tell him I'm neither afraid, nor will I change my mind."  
"If it were not for the fact that he is neither my friend, nor does he know that I am here."

Curiosity bubbled in her mind. "Why are you here?"  
"I already told you, Signora. His conscience may be able to carry the weight of another dead race, but mine cannot. He swore he will turn down this house stone by stone and he is able to do so. We know about the males in the canals, about the plan to flood the city, about the tower, this chair, this control unit. He will stop you. You need to leave Venice."

"This planet is…"  
"I didn't ask you to leave this planet, just this town. We'll help you search an island to flood so you can colonize it, but you will leave this town."  
"Just like that? After everything this companion of yours spouted out?" Rosanna asked disbelievingly. "Sure."

The visitor sighed. "Not a long time ago, nobody would ever doubt the word of a Time Lord."  
"Well, the Time War happened and those dusty, old bureaucrats remembered their sharp teeth."  
Rosanna gifted her with her true smile. Being the snobbish person that the Gallifreyan high class always consisted of, the brown-haired woman just raised an amused eyebrow.

"So, what do you really want?" Rosanna continued, hiding her disappointment in the sharp tone of her voice.  
"I already declared my intent. You need to leave Venice and in return, you get another place in this ocean to colonize."  
"Colonize," Rosanna repeated mockingly. "Colonize. There is no need to colonize. This town is our colony, providing us not only with homes but also with enough life forms to save our species and nurture our future children. After all that I've done for its people, we have every right to this wonderful pearl of a city. I grew very fond of it and it became very important to all of us as our new home."  
"Yes, but it is also very, very important for the history of this planet, which the Doctor has a downright unhealthy attraction to." The Time Lady abruptly locked her deep, age-old eyes with hers. "Have you ever heard of the oncoming storm, the bringer of darkness?"

"The Valeyard?" Rosanna remembered all the stories about the wanderer traveling through time, leaving nothing but destruction in his wake. A time traveler… some of the higher species even mentioned a Time Lord. "This man, this child… is this cruel creature?"  
"Never judge a Time Lord from his outer appearance. You could get a nasty surprise."

Rossana crooked her head as she remembered another tale about this man. "He killed your race, his own race. Burned them, they said."  
"Well, I did not choose to travel with this psychopath. Hiding himself behind a mask of light, child-behaving foolishness and mood, yet can still switch into a dark, monstrous killer any second. Have you seen his face? It is sickening how desperate he is to ignore and forget his crimes, surrounding himself with his beloved humans because they are unable to predict who he is until it is too late. And I am stuck with him as the only other one of my kind."  
The Time Lord nodded slowly. "Oh, believe me. I am one of the few people able to understand you completely. Your desire for a home, to keep everyone else left safe, even if you hate him for what he has done because there is no one else. No one else who will ever truly understand how you think or what is important to you because they simply cannot, because they are aliens. I know exactly how it feels, this focus to be forced to live in the here and now, always worrying what will happen in the next circle but not daring to think further. The restlessness, the worry for each other regardless of what they have done. Let me ease that pain and give you a home, let you finally rest. We will build you a town and send it to the ground of the ocean. Let me bring you brides, not many but enough to repopulate, to give you children and save your species. But you _will_ leave Venice. Do we have an agreement?"  
Her expression was dignified but her eyes sparked with compassion, resolution, and honesty. It amazed yet frightened Rosanna at the same time this much that she had to look away. This woman was here to help, to offer real help…..

No.  
This Doctor… _the_ Doctor wouldn't allow it.

"You promise things you can't keep. This Doctor will never agree to bring more brides. He is a monster."  
"The latter I can agree. We will see about the former."  
An disbelieving smile escaped her. "You're completely serious."  
"Character trait since my youth, I am afraid. We will pick you up, let us see, at sundown. To show you your new home." She stretched out her glove-clad hand.

Who was that woman? All Time Lords were dead. Exept the Doctor who did it, of course, so how could she...  
There was a famous Time Lord, one that could have survived the War -if she had ever existed. But this was impossible…. She took in the appearance of the woman, but she was so small, petite. Brown hair, not platin-blonde and her eyes were... well they were not this pale icy grey they said. She could have regenerated, but she didn't have that presence… But the necklace…. She squinted her eyes in suspicion, eyeing the golden necklace. "What's your name?"

"I'm called the Storyteller."  
Oh. "The Celestial Storyteller?"  
The glint of hope in her heart disappeared. The Time Lord didn't move.  
Rosanna took her hand carefully. "Until sundown."  
The woman nodded. "Splendid. Until then, you should go and tell your husbands."  
"They're my sons. I will."  
An emptiness darkened the Storyteller's bright eyes. "You are a lucky woman, sister of the water. A lucky woman." With that, she turned and left traceless just like she arrived.

Rosanna closed her eyes. The Storyteller.  
The Storyteller was a myth, nothing more. A ghost of the Time War. For a second she really believed the Time Lord but not anymore, not after this obviously blunt lie. It was nothing but a trap to buy time, so obvious considering who her opponent was. So, the Doctor really did fight with such low tactics.

It seemed that the plan had changed.

-o0O0o-

"If we use the canals we can get in from…"  
"That's not necessary. They'll leave the city."  
The four people around the table turned.  
"Tella! Where have you been?"  
"Hello, Amelia. I am pleased to see you back healthy and all right. Roderick. Guido."  
"What do you mean they'll leave?" The Doctor disrupted and jumped up.  
"And what about the girls?" Guido added. She ignored him.  
"Exactly what I said. Signora Calvirerri and I had a little… girl talk. I convinced her to leave."  
"Oh, stop that. She's a big fish. She will never leave unless you promised her something."

She sighed and sat down. "She will leave if we build her a town and flood it. Sacrifice a little island, nothing important."  
"We will build them a city and flood it," repeated Rory.  
"Yes," nodded Tella.  
"A city. A whole city."  
"Yes, Roderick!"  
"You're able to do that."  
She locked her eyes with the Doctor's. "More importantly, _will_ you do that?"

Instead of answering he asked suspiciously, "What about the girls? They want this town because of the amount of people and not because of the architecture. Nice architecture, but still."  
"I promised her… brides, for her sons. Well-behaved, educated, beautiful brides."

Horrified, the Doctor exclaimed: "Tella!"  
Guido sputtered in disbelief. "You want to give these monsters even more innocent daughters, so they can turn them into… this?"

"I did not specify how many," she reassured quickly, "just enough to save her species, which will be around forty. Maybe fifty."  
"Fifty," he hissed. "Fifty! You want to sacrifice fifty girls for—"  
"Humanity's entire history, yes."

The Doctor gulped and leaned back, in search for words with a helpless and sad expression.  
Amy's gaze wandered between both aliens. "Doctor… You can't do that! Those things are evil. They turn people into monsters."

"To survive," declared the Storyteller. "The world is not black and white, Amelia Pond. They killed people and did horrible things to them, but so did the Doctor. He killed countless people and did more gruesome things to them in order to save others. We let a whole ship explode back on the Leviathan so they were not able to follow us, remember? We killed them."  
"They attacked us!"  
"They wanted the serum, nothing more. Their approach is definitely in need of discussion. But at the end of the day, we killed them for it. Have you ever thought that maybe you're standing on the wrong side? Morals are nothing but your own view of the world. That is the reason why Time Lords choose not to interfere. Justice—real justice—is impossible. I tried and found a solution where we are able to save your planet and another species, too."

The Doctor rubbed his forehead. "And it's the only possibility, I know, but I can't walk around here and abduct innocents from the street. It's impossible, the sheer number of it."  
"Who said something about abducting? You've got a time machine."  
He shot her an unbelieving glare. "What!"

She nodded unfazed and he lent forward, utter horror in his eyes. "You want me to travel through the epochs, pick up girls, and gather them here? Tella, listen carefully. I will NOT kidnap people. Who do you think I am?!"  
She persisted on her idea. "Apparently, if I remember correctly, the people of the 21st century had a fondness for vampires."  
"NO!" He flinched and wielded around.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Doctor. There are forums on the Internet for cannibals, where people sell themselves for food and discuss with their customers where to meet to get killed and eaten. I'm pretty sure you'll find some girls who'll follow you voluntarily with a time machine into 16th century Venice to marry a vampire. A fish to be precise, but you get the point."  
"What?" The Ponds' mouths hung open.  
"The Internet is a strange, strange place." The Storyteller nodded. "Stay away from it, honestly."

The Doctor shook his head unbelievingly. "Never call ME a time meddler again!"  
"Oh, I'm sure you came up with crazier plans to save some species."  
"Shut up."  
"Is this a yes?"  
"No! What happened to your precious laws of time you were ready to kill Amy for to preserve them!"

She sighed and closed her eyes. "I've erased dozens of species, myself. It's enough, Doctor. Yes, this violates the law of time, but I remember you telling me to judge carefully when and when to not put it first. With this, we are able to save two whole species with minimal impact in the fabric of time. Please consider it at least."  
"Don't turn my words around like that."  
"I beg your pardon? When I follow the law of time you want me to discard it and when I do, I am still wrong?"  
"It depends on the situation!"  
"Which I have carefully evaluated. I am not fully consent with this solution, either. But I will not destroy another species who only tries to survive and keep themself from extinction if there is another way. How... mutilating it may be."  
He growled and looked away. "Yeah, I got that." He thew his hands in the air and whirled around. "Listen, I-"  
He stopped and knocked with his fist on his brow, eyes squeezed shut. " I hate when I have to do that. I hate it. Don't do that!"  
"Doctor?" Amy rose slowly.  
Tella stood there, completely unfazed. "Your TARDIS, your choice. I need you to pilot her, after all."

"Signor, don't! This is madness! You can't steal children, you won't be better than them," Guido pleaded. Amy was sure, he had no idea what exactly was going on, but this, this he understood. "Signora, please, don't you have children?"

"Had. Nobody was there to help them."  
Guido recoiled visibly with wide eyes, but Tella continued stone-faced as always. "Doctor, are you willing to carry out the plan?"  
"No, I'm not willing." His warning finger hovered a half-inch away from Tella's face. "Voluntarily. Do you understand?! They will follow you voluntarily. You get the TARDIS and carry out that madness. I want nothing to do with that! All clear?"

"No, Doctor! You can't do that. That's not you!" Amy squeaked.

He didn't look at her. "That's exactly me, the man making the impossible decisions. By the way, thank you for that, Tella!" He shot her a dark glance. "It's all your responsibility. Yours alone! Understood?"  
"Of course," the Storyteller smiled and nodded, "I will —"

A rumbling sound disrupted her.  
The Doctor listened to the ceiling. "The people upstairs are very noisy."  
Guido warily looked up. "There aren't any people upstairs."  
"Did you know that I knew you were going to say that? Did anyone else know he was going to say that?"

Outside the window, some pale, white-clothed girls appeared. They tilted their heads and opened their mouths to reveal nasty and spiky teeth.  
"No," whispered Tella.  
Rory stared at the window. "Are these the vampires?"

-o0O0o-

She failed.  
She failed her sons, her family. Only because of this gruesome, terrible Time Lord.  
He destroyed everything.

He killed the brides. He destroyed the transformer.  
She stopped.

There in the hall, the same spot he informed her of the brides' death, the Storyteller stood. The Time Lord didn't turn and simply stared at the now visible control panels of the unit.

"Why?"  
"What?" She as to exhausted and angry to be polite anymore.  
"Why did you do that," the Storyteller clarified, still staring at the unit. "We had reached an agreement. All you had to do was wait until sundown and then your species would have been saved. We were ready to allow those anachonisms. We even planned to travell thorugh time to steal children for your sake, to abduct innocents."

She froze.  
No. The Doctor destroyed them. He could never, ever… no!  
"You were able to convince this man to do that for us ?"  
The Storyteller turned her head. "I told you to leave the rest to me."

Rosanna gulped at the calm, curious presence. There was nothing different, no wrong feeling of ...otherness on her like she was described by everyone back then. Yet, she was able to convince the Doctor to steal children. A master of words.  
The person able to do that, could easily devastate the second Antares-Vector.  
Time poisoined the quadrant now only known as the lost 74 systems.  
Helt the Gates of Elysium together.  
She was the Seer.  
The Matrix-slayer _.  
_ The Celestial Storyteller.  
Never judge a Time Lord by its outer appearance or one could get a nasty surprise, indeed.  
She was the Storyteller. Good graces, she really was the Storyteller.

"You, It's you," she whispered.  
"You did not believe me," the Storyteller concluded sadly.  
"Still, " she continued, "One would think a mother would take the well being of her children over everything, would she not. If she had a choice between a plan that could either work or get everybody killed because it happened straight under the watch of two Time Lords, or one rather obscure one who needed a bit longer but definitely ensured her sons survival, what would she really choose? And even if she did not believe the person proposing that obscure plan to her, would she not still wait until the agreed time to see what happened, because that other plan could get started any time anyway? That is what I do not understand. Out of your own selfishness you threw your future away. You condemned your family and everything you love, everything you worked so had for, to death."

"You were willing to help. You were willing to tell a story?"

"I was. That is why I came here in the first place. I promised. A town at the ground of the ocean and fifty brides."

A strange calmness overcame her as the realisation hit her. She straightened her back.

She failed. Her, and her alone.

"May you excuse me, please? I've got an errand to run."  
"Of course," nodded the Time Lord, and in her ancient eyes was cold, calculated understanding.

The mother turned around and stepped back into the hallway, down to the river to face her children.

-o0O0o-

The Doctor stared at the still surfacing bubbles in the water. "You could have stopped her. You should have stopped her!"

Tella's silhouette didn't move in the shadow of the entrance to the backyard.

"I don't know much about rescuing people and all these things, but I learned that you can never save someone who does not want to be saved. Signora Calvirerri made her point very clear in that matter."

* * *

 **AN:** Wow.  
I hope this builds the rest of the tension for the big explosion, from which we unfortunately didn't get much to see. Yes, Tella destroys the Doctors happy illusion and forcing the Regeneration who choose to forget to remember. And the Doctor is this dark, remember him blowing up the Vesuvius? Thousands of people in exchange for the world. He choose to not make any decisions like that anymore, as we can see in _Victory of the Daleks,_ but Tella is reminding him of this aspect of his personality. And he's angry about that.  
It's the first time with her chip deactivated and as you can see she not quite changed. At least she gives us the reason why she still sticks with the Doctor. There is a little bonus scene with Rory (and everybody else) meeting Tella for the first time (after the deactivation of the chip), but I'll post that later. It didn't quite fit.  
And yes, there is a good reason for this chip. Boy, it was so difficult to not slip up when Rosanna realized, Tella is indeed who she claimed to be. I had to delete a whole paragraph to not spoil the fun, even if it makes not so much sense anymore.

This started as a clean-up for a little mistake in the script, because from one second to the next Rosanna went from total cluelessness about the Doctors identity to knowing exactly who he is. Maybe a Time Lady confronted her and told her exactly with whom she was dealing with? XD

Kelliox is a Time Lord they meet in their first Adventure, which plays on a space-ship called Leviathan (just to clean up the confusion about that part) where they also pick up Tella. I'm sadly still working on that thing.

Oh and everybody getting the jtwo hidden puns gets a digital cookie. I couldn't resist XD

So, in three days I'm going on Christmas-vacation and I'm so excited for _The Return of Doctor Mysterio_. But I probably won't post anything here until next year so I'll wish you a merry Christmas and a happy, glorious Year of 2017 full of ideas, friends and adventures.

As always Read and Review,

Happy holidays.

alkatie

18/12/2017


	9. Bargainig a Truce

**Disclaimer:** I don't own this Show

 **Bargaining a Truce**

(Interlude S.5 ep.6 &7)

 _Rory is always there to help. It's his job after all._

-o0O0o-

Rory opened his eyes, sighted and turned on his other side bumping into Amy. Bunkbed, right. He hated waking up in the middle of the…  
Something crashed. Again.  
Because yes, that definitely was the sound he woke up to. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

The room was a little more lightened up than necessary. Did the TARDIS do that? Rory had to admit it was a very Intelligent machine, yes but it was sometimes ridiculous how the Doctor and Tella treated it as a conscious person. On the other hand, their people had build it. Either way, it apparently wanted him awake, because the second his feet touched the floor the door to the dimly lighted corridor outside opened.  
Okay.  
He silently left the room not to wake Amy and followed the blinking lights guiding him deeper down into the TARDIS he ever had been before.  
And then he heard the voices.

It was a language unlike anything he heard before. Not this angry fast strings of sentences bubbling down the corridors.  
The two Timelords were fighting. Really fighting, not those little squabbles they had before. It had to be expected, Amy told him they always had pushed down a real argument and promised themselves to talk about it later, bottling up accusations and anger, but it still was scary.  
Tella's surprisingly loud, downright shrill voice was the first to understand clearly-if he had spoken that language, followed a few steps later by the lower hissing of the Doctor.  
Rory didn't need the TARDIS open the Door to know which one he had to take. And froze in the doorway.

Really? A Garden. A Garden!  
Well more a roman atrium but still. Wisteria in full bloom everywhere, winding themselves around the columns holding the wooden ceilings over his head. Chairs and tea tables placed in the shadows, while the sun shined down on a marble water fountain in the middle of the rectangle of colonnades. And although it was such a peaceful setting, something was off with it, something dark loomed in it, something heavy.  
It were details one easily missed.  
No singing birds and Rory somehow knew despite this being a Spaceship there were birds. Some overturned chairs and tables. A broken tea service on the floor, but scattered as if not all of them were smashed at the same time. A storm was brewing on the horizon and the people had left in utter panic, drenching this place in fear and anger. Except they had not.

Tella was pacing up and down next to the fountain, her left hand fidgeting with her necklace, her right behind her back unnaturally pressed against her body as if she was containing herself not to hit her opponent. Which was probably exactly the thing she did.  
The Doctor was unnaturally still and if he moved it was angular, stiff and very swift, his eyes solely focused on every single move she made, every single word the Storyteller splat.  
They had never seemed that alien before, with that aura of rare power both of them eradicated, two ancient titans fighting and destroying each other solely with words. Who was he, Rory Williams a mere human, to stop them tearing themselves apart? Amy might be calling him stupid sometimes, but he wasn't.  
Apparently he needn't to be.

Somehow the Doctor must have noticed him, because he suddenly stopped in mid sentence, slightly relaxed and turned. "Rory?"  
Immediately Tella turned her back to Rory as if hiding something, her right hand rubbing her eye while her left still fingered the necklace. Wait.. was she crying?  
The Doctor smiled forced, fiddling with his hands. "Rory. Shouldn't you sleep?"  
Rory gulped. "Is… everything alright?" He knew it wasn't but he didn't knew what else to say.  
"Oh, yes. Yes, sure it is. It's nothing. We're just talking a bit, you know."  
Tella turned and yes, her eyes were a bit reddish but her voice was steady and calm as ever. Soft and humming. "We're having an argument."

He immediately went dark again. "Leave him out of this."  
"I beg your pardon? You are the one constantly lecturing me about treating them equally."  
"There is a difference between treating one equal and dragging them into things they have nothing to do with!"  
"I did not intend to include Roderick, merely inform him truthfully of the happenings! As I promised to do. Something you apparently do not understand."  
Rory flinched. "Stop! Please. Both of you."

"That is exactly why I didn't want you in this. You don't understand."  
Rory gulped. Did he just…? "No Doctor. I don't understand. At all. You're the last of your kind."  
"That's not a reason to like each other, you know."  
Tella rolled her eyes. "Be silent and let him finish his thoughts. Something like this is lecturing me. Please continue Roderick."

What the hell was going on here. "Why?"  
"I beg your pardon?"  
"Why," Rory repeated. "Tella always says Time Lords are such a high evolved species. Why are you not able to talk each other."  
"Because apparently, he never listens."  
"She never listens."

They both glared at each other, before Tella rubbed her forehead. "We're sounding like Timetodds. No, like six year old children. I do listen, Doctor. I just do not understand."  
"Problem of every Time Lord."  
Tella groaned. "Why! What for time's sake is the problem you are having with our species!"  
"They're boring."  
"Boring. Boring! War-monging hypocrites, that I could understand, yes. But boring!"  
"They are boring and ridiculous. Remember the shoulder pieces?"  
"It's tradition!"

He laughed bitterly. "This. This is the problem with your lot! We've stopped evolving, standing still for millennia not allowing anything to change. Change always means bad things but everybody forgets that it also can mean improvement. Ages ago we reached the peak of civilization, or as it was seen in those times. And that's the problem, the people calling themselves lord of time refuse to acknowledge that time moves on. That in the ages they clamped themselves onto their traditions they refused to see that what was seen as peak of civilization changed, evolved and other species reaching it, too, some even surpassing them. But they did nothing."  
"That's not true. Otherwise I was not able to be here, you know that. The colonies were an adaption, a measure to survive. A change."  
"Caused by what, Tella. Caused by a war they provoked by themselves, and which they perfectly were able to avoid if they hadn't been that focused on their traditions. Which had been their downfall."  
"You had been their downfall."

"Stop!" Rory interrupted fastly, knowing exactly the direction this would take. And miraculously they did. Still, Tella sighted. "Look at us. Helped by a human."  
"I can go, you know."  
"This was me merely stating fact, not intending to insult you, dearie. Sometimes the involvement of a third party is beneficial for the outcome of an argument."  
"Especially if one of the parties involved is as reasonable as a Netrered Bull."  
"At least he admits it."  
"Well," Rory reasoned fast. "Already found one thing we all can agree on. Anyway. Ok, so the problem is you have different ..political… social views? Because that's actually the only thing I can see you don't have in common."  
"That is an improper generalization, Roderick. The Doctor is an Exile, a person this unsatisfied with our culture he simply left. I might be able to accept his… bearings. But he will be never able to accept mine. He never had and he never will. And I refuse to change them for him. Not after me being the last one alive practicing them."  
The Doctor scratched his cheek. "Tella. Lady Storyteller. I don't want you to change them, I want you to open up to other things, accepting them."  
"Which exactly will lead to change, Doctor."  
"Why are you so afraid of change, Tella."  
"Because it will be final, Doctor. I am the Storyteller. I must not change."

"That's not true. We all change. A least twelve times. But you're right. That doesn't make you a Time Lord. That's why all of them stopped to be them such a long time ago."  
She snorted. "You can't just stop being a Time Lord."  
"Yes. Yes, you can. Tell me, back in the time war, have you still been the Storyteller?"  
"Yes."

The Doctor flinched back and blinked. "What? But… You said war-mongingn hypocrites."  
Tella looked away and said nothing.  
The Doctor carefully stepped closer. "You said war-mongingn hypocrites, Tella," he repeated unbelieving. "You know they lost themselves, threw anything… Of course. You nearly killed Amy for that fix point and even considered breaking time to save those insane fish. You are just as unscrupulous, as unprincipled as …."  
"Listen with your heart, tell with your soul. Teach witch both to redeem and remember because the only true constant is Time itself, neither future nor past or present," Tella interrupted hissing. "Stories are, where memories go when they're forgotten, Doctor, so don't you dare. Do. Not. Dare. "  
The Doctor and Rory stared at her wide-eyed. This was the far most personal thing she ever had told them about herself.

The Doctor gulped. "This… this is your promise?"  
"This is my oath. So please refrain from comparing or even setting me on the same level like those other idiots on the high council or -the white guardian beware- Rassilon himself. You asked me if I had been the Storyteller in the war. You did not ask me if I had been the Storyteller before the war."  
Utter relief filled the Doctors features.  
"So you know. You know that in the end they had lost themselves."  
"And so did I, Doctor. I fought with them, I fell with them. Or why do you think they placed a mind controlling chip in my head."  
"Then why, Lady Storyteller, do you think you remember what it truly means to be a Time Lord."  
"Because you cannot either. You are an exile."  
"And a president of Gallifrey. They always let me return. Reluctantly, but they let me return. They didn't threw me out, I left. Let me help you, Tella. Because frankly, you're not living up to your promise, currently. And you know that."  
"I do. To the best of my abilities," Tella insisted.  
"But your abilities now, are not the best you can do."  
There was a silence lasting a few seconds then Tella slowly shook her head in that way of hers, a precise movement from left to right.. "I am sorry. I cannot trust the person who destroyed everything I loved."

Rory carefully asked: "Then why are you here?"  
"Because there is no other place to go. Everything is better than being alone, not alone. A Time Lord is never alone. The last of one's kind. it is only logical to stay together. Everything is better than being the last….Doctor!"  
He had tackled her in a surprise hug, despite her vehement protests. "This is going the one and only time, I promise." Then he let her go and chuckled at her disgusted face.  
"You are a foolish incoherent Timetodd!"  
"And you an old stuffy Timelady."  
"And proud of it", she shoot back.

"Ehm, now that we have clarified that, why don't we call it a truce," Rory interfered fastly before they started to threw more insults at each other's head.  
"A Truce? There is nothing possible such as a truce."  
Rory's heart sunk with the finality Tella said this, but still went on. "I think there is. As I understand, you both did terrible things in that war. So let's call it a clean state. Stop calling yourself out on your differences, your crimes and try to search common ground, and if not, accept each other, at least. If Tella doesn't like to be touched, she has to tell us and we respect that. Also the Doctor hating apples and peas, he tells us and we respect that. Just talk to each other and do not automatically assume the other will not understand. And if Tella feel uncomfortable to talk about stuff before Amy or me then don't do it. That's how we do this on earth. Most of the time."  
The Doctor rose his eyebrows but thankfully said nothing, although he definitely had a different opinion on that matter. Tella eyed Rory a long time before she tilted her head a bit to the right. "I might have found a reason why you like them so much. They are as idealistic hypocrites as you are."

"But it is true, "Rory protested. "Everybody knows that if we actually talk to each other, it will work. Normally people simply don't have the patience or time to talk."  
The Doctor nodded. "He's right. I don't like you. But at least we can try. Sometimes you need a fresh start. A new beginning. A clean state. Just get rid of everything wrong and make it right. Just start. Start now, start where you are. Start with fear. Start with pain. Start with doubt. Start with hands shaking. Start with voice shaking. But start. Start and don't stop. Start where you are, with what you have. Just start."  
"You know, the same applies to you, Doctor. Please stop presenting yourself like a flawless, dutiful person. It's disgusting."  
"I left this behind, Tella."  
"Nine hundred years? That's what it took you to forget?"

"Yes!" He hissed. "Yes. Because I can't change it. I needed two regenerations to finally come to terms with what I've done. Nine hundred years are a long time, I know you guys on Gallifrey have lost every feeling for time but even you should know that this took a bit longer!"  
"Why should we loose our feeling of time? We have more than ten senses to feel it."  
The Doctor groaned and buried his face in his hands. "This, Rory. This is why there can't be a truce."  
"Then talk to her, Doctor," Rory insisted. He sighted but did as told.  
"You have lost the value of Time, Tella. How much a second of a life is worth. How many things one can do in one hour, in one Day. We have such a long life, we forget how much you can do in it. That's why humans are so amazing. They have such a short Lifetime but they accomplish sooo much."

Tella stayed in a thoughtful silence, her eyes strangely distant as if she had shut down completely. Creepy. Rory leaned forward and carefully called her full name but the Doctor hold him back with his hand and shook his head with a grin. "She thinks."  
"I see that, but…"  
"No. Trust me Rory. If a Time Lord shuts down like this she uses every single cell of her brain and that says a lot."  
As if summoned Tella blinked and nodded. "Fine. We will meet at least every 26 hours to discuss and explain events we have accounted, although if there is a pressing matter we will talk about it immediately. In a civil manner, and if there is a argument to be expected we search out a third party to mediate. Do you agree on this terms?"  
For this she needed her whole brain? Huh?  
But the Doctor clapped his hands together. "Way to go! It's going to be amazing, just you wait!"  
"Doctor. One condition. I am free to always return to or stay in the TARDIS whenever I wish to."  
"Sure. Of course. Why not?"

She straightened. "Well, then. On Time itself and my oath as a Time Lord of the Dromeian Chapter, I promise to consider and respect other species mindsets . I am going to work on my personal abilities to fulfill the calling that is my name as well as well as my acceptance for the crimes committed by the Time Lord known as the Doctor."  
He gulped and nodded. "I …accept. In return I will promise to respect your wishes whenever you voice them."  
Tella rose an eyebrow and he fastly added: "On time itself."  
Then both bowed before each other, before Tella dropped a small curtsy before Rory as well. "Thank you, Roderick Williams."  
"Rory," corrected Rory ,"Uhm, no problem?" Had he really been able to accomplish a truce between the two?

Tella smiled. "Intriguing. Still, speaking of voicing concerns…I hope this is not considered rude but I highly recommend a change into a bit …more clothing?"  
Huh? Oh right. Blushing he realized he was in his underpants and a shirt. "Sorry, I just woke up."  
"Oh! You're in the middle of your resting cycle?"  
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "It's called sleep, Tella. And yeah, He was. Before somebody had to smash those dishes. I think I'll bring him back."  
Rory sighted inwardly. Didn't they just agreed onto stopping this?  
Tella shot him a glare but luckily nodded . "Of course. I will retreat to my rooms as well, if you need me. May you rest warm in your Dreams, Rory. Doctor."  
She nodded to both of them and left but stopped again in the Doorway. "And the Name is Storyteller."  
Rory sighted but grinned. "Good night, Lady Storyteller."

Tella nodded once more and disappeared.  
And the Doctor suddenly hugged him and twirled him through the air. "Rory Williams! You? Are Brilliant!"  
"Whoa! Doctor!" Really. This guy! He steadied himself after having his feet back on the floor and cleared his throat. "Do you think this will work?"  
The Doctor waved dismissingly. "It will need some time for her to change, but sure! Now come on, you need to rest. I have thousands of ideas what we can do tomorrow and even more plans!"  
Not exactly what he had meant, that for sure. It wasn't only the Storyteller who had to change. Still he said nothing and followed him back even if he wasn't tired anymore. The adrenalin still pumped through his body, that awesome feeling of having a face to face with those two aliens and not only surviving it but gaining a victory. They actually had listened to him! Still, something didn't stop bugging him.  
"Doctor? Back there Tella had thought, and you said with every single cell of her brain. And she needed every single cell of her brain to come up with that solution?"  
He shoot him that particular glance again. The one always let him feeling like he had asked the stupidest question in the whole universe. "Course not. She's a teacher."  
"How… what's that supposed to do with that?"

He rolled his eyes. "Her promise. You didn't listen. She was a teacher. Makes sense, to save the guardians of a culture first, don't you think? Not at the Time Academy, no, the Drome had little interest in politics, but at her Chapter's Academy most certainly. Which makes it even harder."  
"Oh. Her chapter's academy. Sure." As if he knew anything he just talked about.  
To his credit, the Doctor stopped and rubbed his forehead. "Sorry. It's complicated. That's why I left. Tella is better at explaining this than me. British school system, huh? Barbara and Susan explained it to me once. Primary education, secondary education and higher education, right?"  
Rory nodded and he continued. "If you trim it down, like saying it very unspecific, the Chapter Academy's are something like primary and secondary education together at one school and the Time Academy is a bit like the higher education. Much much higher education. Everybody on Gallifrey gets into the Chapter's Academys but only a few chosen ones can continue to The Academy. The Chapters Academy's are the foundation of our society. And Tella was a teacher there."

Oh. He remembered Amy telling him about the Storyteller's outburst on the Byzantium, how she complained about being forced to ignore everything she had ever believed in and was taught her whole life. The things she apparently had taught herself generation after generation. "She weighted the pro's and con's."  
"She weighted the pro's and con's ," repeated the Doctor with a triumphant smile. "For probably thousands of years she taught children what it means to be gallifreyan, a specific view on the universe, one that I asked her to over think and overthrew, and she thought about if it's worth it or not with every single cell of her brain. I'm surprised it she needed this long. Thought she needed much more time."  
"And that's why you think it will work?"  
"She called me a Timetodd."  
"Yeah. What's that?"  
"A Time- Toddler. A gallifreyan child. She's a teacher and she called me a child."  
"I don't think she did this out of affection."  
"Why? What's wrong with being childish? There are enough grown up people in this universe. By the way, here we are."  
They had reached the door to Amy's and his room. That man was truly a walking contradiction.

Rory shook his head and opened the door but turned again. "Who are Susan and Barbara?"  
The Doctor smiled with ancient eyes. "Good night, Rory Williams."  
"No seriously. Who are they? Doctor? Doctor!"  
But he had already turned and strolled down the corridor with a whistle.  
Not only Tella had a strange, mysterious past. Another thing they had in common, and maybe a foundation to this fragile truce. Seemed to be a Timelord thing, after all.

* * *

AN: Hey  
Here it is, the Big Bang. All based on the fact that the TARDIS does not translate gallifreyan. The first version of this was with Amy but then I realized, as the nurse he is, Rory is way more fitting to solve this problem. That's what he does with Amy all the time after all. She has terrible trust issues and he knows about it and cares about her, constantly proving himself to her because he is afraid she is not captable of loving him. He is such a great character, able to realize exactly what people need and definitely one of my favorites. And Tella needs such a constant, such a nurse in her life, too. You'll realize she hangs out with Amy more but if shit goes down she always consults Rory.

Remember that Garden in _Deep Breath_ where we met Missy for the first time. That's exactly how the setting of this scene looks like. I wasn't able to resist. I originally planed them to have this conflict in the contol room but Tella gets... passionate when really really angry and she'd definitely accidentally broke something on the console. Therefore a calm and distant place in the depths of the TARDIS. You know that saying about never annoy a patient and kind person because those are the most dangerous to anger if you are finaly able to? That's her. Although I admit, she currently has a short fuse anyway.

I also hope I haven't butchered the British school system .  
Regarding the Gallifreyan education system, let's just recap that I go with the theory that with eight years every gallifreyan child has to look into the Untempered Schism and if he or she survives is sorted into and educated in the Chapters own Academies in the basics of well everything except time. Those are located in each chapters regions, away from the capital and the citadel. Passing grades there were difficult to achieve and each grade could take years to reach. They take the entrance examination for the Time Academy shortly after looking into the schism. If they are accepted then, after 12 years with their Chapter's Academy, they are enrolled in the Time Academy in the citadel. So you really have to be good and have the financial background (and there has to be place in your chapter's ranks) to be allowed to addend the Time Academy for 100 Years or sometimes even more and gain the rank of a Time Lord.  
If you don't pass you remain at your Chapter's Academy. Students who remained could spend decades reaching the 6th or even the 7th grade. The Gallifreyans who left their academy after reaching the 5th Grade generally became media commentators, artists or aids for Cardinals, or even aids for Junior Time Lords, that's how the ones without a TARDIS are called. Passing the 6th grade opened up several job opportunities, including administration of the Citadel, Space Traffic Controller, or Temporal Nexus Point Observation aka controlling the Web of Time. Graduating from the 7th Grade was considered even more difficult and prestigious, but many Gallifreyans stop attending before that point.

By the way, just to clear up the confusion. Tella has a degree as an Timeengineer, as she points out sometimes. Her teaching at the Dromeian academy is like a person with a phd in quantum physics and biochemistry teaching math in primary school. She has a reason why she choose to do that.

I'm a nerd, I know.

Anyway, as always read and drop a review, and thank you for staying with me.  
Greetings,  
alkatie


	10. Gaining Respect

**Disclaim:** The only dream is me owning Doctor Who. It's a dream, I don't own.

 **Gaining Respect**

(S. 5 Ep.7)

 _Amy's choices unravel a few mysteries and teach some lessons to both sides._

-o0O0o-

Lady Storyteller passed the entrance to the kitchen, froze and slowly turned to carefully peek into the room.  
An undignified snod escaped her, because yes, she had seen right.  
Both of the Doctors human companions had fallen asleep in the middle of their meal.  
Roderick laid on the floor in a puddle of tea lowly dripping out of the kettle he still held in one hand, while Amelia was slumped in her chair, head resting on the Table with her face missing her plate filled with this thing called sandwich by mere millimeters.  
Really?  
Humans were a strange species and no one was or would be able to convince her otherwise. She cleared her throat loudly to make her presence known, but they didn't even changed the pattern of their breaths.

How carless. One had to assume the Doctor knew about the acquirements of this so much more fragile species regarding the time he had spent with so many of them, but apparently he did not. Even she was aware of their far longer resting cycle, which even increased with high activity. And running around all day, jumping from Planet to Planet was clearly able to be considered high activity.  
It exhausted her, so it had to be far worse for those two. Still, she had not thought the Doctor able to go so far for them fainting from exhaustion in the kitchen. And he lectured _her_ about treating them in the right manner.

She cleared her throat again before calling their names, even going so far as abandoning their little power games and used their preferred and real ones. "Amy? Rory?"  
Nothing.

How did the Doctor expect her to keep their fragile truce, the one those very humans did help to accomplish, when he constantly pulled stunts like that! Presenting himself like a founding member when arguing with her, humiliating her in front of them for things she simply did not know, accusing her to do those things on purpose, while he himself knowingly treated them far worse.  
Treating them like equals, sure!  
Using his impact, their own naiveté to follow him willingly, even trying to impress him by staying constantly on their feet or by becoming as ridiculous and childish, pretending to be as full of energy as him and therefore pushing themselves to utter exhaustion. And he was aware of it, otherwise her words were not able to anger him like they always did.

The truth did hurt the most especially if you were aware of it and not very happy about it.  
Which was the only reason she still were here.  
His defiance was proof of his regret even if he didn't change anything about his behavior.  
And who was she, Lady Storyteller, the Celestial Storyteller, to judge him if he still was able to feel regret. Maybe one day she were able to get that one lesson in his head she tried to constantly teach him.  
Actions spoke louder than words.

The essential, cruel truth of Gallifrey, where words had lost their meanings in all the pomp and ceremonies and polite smiles, where every single gesture every action instead was so much more, every single break of the ritualized life a scream of the true intentions of a person. And although the Timelords had practiced this into extremes – as everything they did- one thing she knew certainly about all the other life forms in the Universe: this simple rule applied to most of the known species, humans being no exception.  
They just trusted blindly. Such a curios species. So fragile, not only in body but mind.  
Which was the only reason she turned and left to notify the Doctor, giving him a change to change his behavior, to wake them and actually treat them in the way he always lectured her about.  
When did she started to give him second chances?  
Guardians, she always had cared too much about other beings.  
And those two humans, well, nobody deserved to sleep in a puddle of tea like Rory currently did.

-o0O0o-

"Is it because of me complaining about the Doctor, again? I assure you, I will not lecture him, only tell him his humans sleep in your Kitchen in very undignified circumstances."  
Nothing.  
Seriously? She wasn't aware this model being this irritating.  
The distance between the kitchen and the Controllroom were roughly 2 minutes and 39 seconds including seven corridors and as many crossroads.  
Normally.

Lady Storyteller was walking the same corridors for about 26 minutes now, the TARDIS constantly shifting them leading her into dead ends and the same rooms over and over again. Including the Kitchen.  
But the worse thing about this was her not answering or even reacting to the Storytellers reasoning. This TARDIS was horribly stubborn. But so was she, too. And she was going to get an answer, even if she had to link herself in the TT's telepathic field.

"Is it about me not waking those two up? It is the Doctors responsibility, he took them from their home, he has a duty of care for them. Yes, I might use them- again- but it is to help the Doctor. You wanted me to accept him, and I do and that is why I want to help him. I will not harm either him nor them. They are far to interesting for that. There, I said it. They might be not that barbaric and useless as I was taught. Now, please? The Controlroom?"  
Nothing.  
Just the soft vibrations of the engine.

A spark of the thing in her mind, that tiny speck left from her former regeneration whispered about her being a Timelady, her power to force that stupid machine into submission and As…. Lady Storyteller instinctively bite into the more fleshy part of her hand right under her thumb. As always the pain shooed that thing away and cleared her thoughts. The moment she realized what she was doing she nearly vomited and sunk to the floor. This need for pain also was a habit of her former regeneration something she thought she had left behind, something she did left behind.  
"Look at me", she whispered bitter, closing her eyes and leaned against the wall. "I completely understand your resentment against me. But please, leave them out of this. Show me the control room so we can wake up those two."

Silence.  
She opened her eyes and turned her head to the side so she was able to see the wall in her peripheral view. "Hello?"  
The wall felt…. in lack of a better description empty.  
This was not a Type 40 being stubborn.

She stumbled to her feet, pressed her hands and her left ear against the metal. And carefully reached out to the consciousness that was the TARDIS.  
Something was terribly wrong.  
And her own prejudices had restricted her from noticing before, naturally assuming the Timemachine was somehow mocking her again.  
It was still there, yes but closed in, withdrawn in itself, tightly concentrated on the tree beings being connected to it, one of them shining bright as a sun, being the center of this bizarre construct. But it wasn't a normal flow of energy or data as expected, more like…  
Lady Storyteller flinched back and threw up all her mental defenses.

It consumed them.  
The TARDIS somehow consumed the minds of her inhabitants.  
She was trapping her. Shifting the corridors, forcing her to run in circles until the Timelady was too exhausted, to turn her into an easy target and get her mind, too.  
No. That was not right.  
There were some cases, but there was no reason why it should. Especially not one cared for and loved like this one. But then why?

She stared walking again, turned left and stood at the balcony of an old storage room, sighted, turned and took another direction… and froze. Making up her mind she took two other corridors before turning left and smiled. Besom chamber.  
The TARDIS didn't trapped her.  
The Doctor, as every Pilot adjusted the inner of the Ship to his needs and likings, letting her shift rooms and corridors as she liked. Now, with her distracted, the rooms had returned to their original Storyteller closed her eyes and concentrated, dug up the old memories of the basic construction plans she had to learn for her exams all that time ago and then stared to march to the next stairs.  
Timelords rarely cooked, they normally took their necessary diet in on different ways, so it was no wonder the Kitchen was placed somewhere in the depths of the ship on the higher floors far away from the control room.

She hated that rush of adrenalin, how easy she fell into that mood of observing both her environment and the timelines hovering around her and adjusting, how her movements became silent, swift and precise, how none of the lessons the war had taught her were lost. Even if she sometimes took the wrong direction because her memory of these early days weren't as good as she had hoped it to be. But the TARDIS stayed silent while a predator glided through her corridors to the place her pilot rested on his knees, chin against his shoulder and one arm still on the console.

The Storyteller had circled the room completely, checked all corners and hideouts, before she finally went down on one knee next to the sleeping Doctor facing all three: the main entrance, the stairs leading deeper into the ship and most importantly the main console. This was currently the most dangerous place to be, but she had to know what was going on to save herself. And maybe them too.  
Oh, who was she kidding.  
She was probably the only one able to help them. Even if it meant to go against everything she valued. Well, this was an emergency so she placed two fingers between his eyes. Still gloved. There were some boundaries she never overstepped.

His mind was open. Heavy fortified, yes, but nobody manned the battlements and the doors were deserted. She carefully brushed with her mind against his not daring to go deeper because of his darkness and the fact that a door was open for both ways. But he too was to occupied in the net the TARDIS had entangled him to notice her. And there was something else.  
That bacon of light, the center of all wasn't him as she had expected. Although he was the Pilot and his deep connection to his ship, somebody else was the subject of the TT's full concentration and therefore the one of everybody linked with her. Which mad this way more easy, a human mind was less dark and more open to access than the one of any Timelord after all.

Still, she pondered while rushing back to the kitchen, a human being able to capture the attention of a TARDIS like that was certainly a surprising turn of events. This proofed to get interesting. True curiosity, a curiosity she never had felt since her first regeneration filled her stomach and she felt unsure. She had forced herself to forget the feeling of the tingling of her Nerves , the questions of howwhywhy bubbling in her mind. How that feeling stimulated her mind and how good it felt. Completely improper for a Timelady but so… _alive_.  
And for the first time she thought she may actually be able to enjoy one of these adventures. If they made it out alive, that's it.

She reached the kitchen, grabbed a towel and cleaned up the puddle of tea, gently taking the kettle out of Rory's fingers and placing it beside him. Then she carefully pulled Amy out of the chair, laying her down on the floor and placing her head in her lap.  
She took a deep breath and forced down the excitement. She had no idea how a human mind looked like nor what was awaiting her. She most certainly would not be able to access the TARDIS directly, but at least she was able to watch, listen and learn a way to get them out of there.  
Or so she thought.

-o0O0o-

The Doctor grinned up to them as they busted into the control room "Any questions?"  
Oh, Amy had plenty of them. "What was that?"  
He waved them to come closer and opened his hand to show them some small and glowing… things. "A speck of psychic pollen from the candle meadows of Karass don Slava. Must have been hanging around for ages. Fell in the time rotor, heated up and induced a dream state for all of us through the psychic connection."  
He took them to the doors, opened them and blew them into space.

"The what?" Rory blurted out.  
The Doctor whirled around, flashed a grin to Tella who just stepped out into the control room and run up to the console.

"Psychic connection." She answered promptly. "Every TARDIS creates a telepathic field. It connects the occupants with each other but also with the Database of the TARDIS itself. It enables you for example to understand every language you are spoke to, because the TARDIS directly translates it for you. Also other occupants are able to directly locate and home onto you. Why that question?"  
"The TARDIS is in my head." Rory clarified.  
"Basically, yes."

"Oh. Ok." He processed that information for a second, then carried on to explain. " Uhm. Some flower send us to sleep because of it."  
"Physic pollen from Karass don Salva," corrected the Doctor absentmindly.  
"Interesting. I have guessed something messed up with the telepathic field, but I actually thought it had something to do with some- how do you say it?- frazzled circuits."  
The TARDIS around them made a clearly protesting noise.  
"I apologize. It is good to have you back, through."  
Alarmed the Doctor peeked around the Timerotor. "Back?"  
"She was also completely apathic during your … nap time."

Amy evaded the other woman's gaze and concentrated instead on Rory's next question. She still tried to process waking up with her head in Tella's lap, her surprisingly cool fingers placed on Amy's temples and an uncharacteristically concerned facial expression which disappeared immediately under that impassive mask again.

" Yeah. But….So that was the Dream Lord then? Those little specks."  
The Doctor turned around. "No, no. No! Sorry, wasn't it obvious? The Dream Lord was me. Psychic pollen! It's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you, gives it a voice, turns it against you. I'm nine hundred and seven. It had a lot to go on. Otherwise Tella would have no reason to hate me, huh."  
He smiled, but it wasn't calming but quite the opposite. Downright frightening. And left all three of them speechless for a few instants.

Amy gulped to find her voice again. " But then why didn't it feed on us, too?"  
"The darkness in you pair, it would've starved to death in an instant. I choose my friends with great care. Otherwise, I'm stuck with my own company, and you now know how that works out."  
He still was a s cheerful as ever, and it left Amy to wonder if all this was really just an act, like Tella always accused him. Those things the Dreamlord … he said about himself. The same things Tella had said to him in their many nightly arguments.  
Could possibly any of that be true? Or was that _Thing_ just using those accusations because it knew they work, knew the physic effect of discovering that not only one but many more people had the same opinion and therefore starting to doubt yourself?  
Tella hadn't been there after all. Well not really.

"What about you!"  
"Me?"  
"Yes! You were nothing but a faint reflection in some shining surfaces there… an echo. Why wasn't anybody else able to see you than me. If this… Dream was caused by the TARDIS, why hadn't you been there, too?"

"She's not connected with the TARDIS."  
Three pairs of eyes turned to Rory and he shrugged uncomfortable. "Well, it's logical, isn't it? The TARDIS sent everybody to sleep who had it in their brain, even itself. Except Tella, because Tella doesn't have it in her head."

There was this strange glint in Tella's eyes again and somehow Amy became convinced that this actually might be approval. The kind of surprised, unexpected approval of a clearly impressed person whose expectations had been completely overthrown.  
"Why?" asked Amy.  
"That's a really good question." The Doctor spurted up to the Timelady and stopped mere inches before her face, clearly curious.  
"Why are you not connected to the TARDIS. I know she didn't allowed it at the beginning but that matter is clearly resolved now."  
They silently stared into each other's eyes a few seconds, before Tella looked away and instead let her gaze wander all over the room again. "The type 40 is constructed to be piloted by six persons. You are flying it on your own. Why are you able to do so?"  
"No, no, no, I asked you a question!"  
"So did I."  
"Yes, but I asked first. You're evading me."  
"I do not."

He stared at her a few seconds longer, started to scratching his head and fiddling around under her calm but clearly expecting gaze, turned away just to look back before turning away again. Then he took a deep breath. "Look, you have been a teacher at the Academy probably your whole lives, I get it. Still , this is no time for those logically conclusion question-counter question riddles we always had to solve."  
"I disagree. There is no better time for training patience than now. You asked I answered."  
He scoffed in clear annoyance and raced down the stairs again.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever. I need to go to Cana Kell. You'll love Cana Kell. Biggest Shopping Mall in the universe, a whole plane t full of things to buy. You even get TARDIS-parts there sometimes. Which is why we are going. It's not necessary but after something like this? I don't need an old stuffy Timelady to grumble upon the security of my ship all day."  
"That is very insightful of you, Milord," said Tella with a guarded voice.  
"Oh, yes. Very insightful indeed."  
The landing drum dropped and he marched out.

"What just happened?" Amy carefully piped up.  
"I have no Idea why this had caused such a reaction."  
"Maybe he's angry that you saved the day, instead of him, and that was the last drop?" Rory carefully piped up.  
"Me? Saving the Day? How so?"

He blinked. "You showed us that those were dreams. You convinced the Doctor to blew up the TARDIS because Amy saw your reflection in the Timerotor. Also that dream in Leadwoth… wait. How did that one ended?"  
Amy gulped. "We crashed the camper van."  
"Tella convinced you to crash the camper van?"  
"No, I did not," Tella interjected. "Amy did that choice completely on her own. At that time she still was convinced I am just an hallucination."  
"Oh, right. I don't remember that bit."  
Amy smiled. "No, you weren't there. You were already …" she stopped too late.  
"Already what?"

Amy glanced to the Timelady. "Dead. You died in that dream. Mrs. Poggit got you."  
Rory needed a few seconds to take this in. " Okay. But how did you know it was a dream? Before you crashed the van, how did you know you wouldn't just die?"  
"I didn't."  
"Oh. "  
"Yeah."  
It was silent so despite her nearly soundless voice and her discreetly wandering off to the other side of the room Tella's mumbling clearly was audible. "Males."

Rory furrowed his eyebrows, blinked and then the coin dropped. "Oh."  
"Yeah, oh. "  
He blinked, glanced to Tella who had her back turned to them and fidgeted with the doors locking mechanism, then leaned forward to kiss his fiancée. Amy gladly kissed back.  
After they finally pulled back he grinned like an idiot. He honestly thought she preferred an timetravelling alien whose only love was a blue box to him. Ok putting it like that….

Wait….  
Tella was sometimes downright brutally honest because she believed it to be respectful, but it didn't mean she was blunt.  
"Te… Lady Storyteller?"  
She turned. "Amy?"  
"The TARDIS…It.. She is helping him. To pilot her, I mean."

There was this spark again and it definitely was everything Amy thought it to be. "The Doctor is one of the best Pilots I have ever seen. There were not many who ever were able to create such a bond, to simply pilot a TARDIS with their wishes and thoughts. Although I might add that it is apparently more reasoning than actually piloting. I have no Idea how this will turn out if this model had been used like every normal TTC instead of wandering the Universe."

"He's controlling the TARDIS with his thoughts? Then why is the always jumping around like that?"  
"Control is definitely the wrong word. Instruct her. Guide her. Because of the fun, I think. With him its always about the fun after all. But apparently also because he has no idea if is reaction was any indication. Or he knows but chooses to ignore it. He does that a lot, too after all. But one thing is obvious and that is that he has no idea how to fly a TARDIS properly. I have given up to determine our destination by observing what he's doing long ago. He always pushes the Button which evacuates the waste tank on deck seven, I have not yet discovered why. The only reason why this is working is because he's telling her what he wants this button to do and she does it despite it being the wrong one. That's where this noise comes from, the interfering commands. That and other things."  
"So he just has to stand there and tell her were to go."  
"Ask. Politely, if I may add but yes."

"Are you able to do that?"  
"I do not ever fly a TARDIS of any kind again, Rory."  
They blinked, surprised by the sudden coldness in her voice. "Why. I'm sure the Doctor allows it, if you ask him. He was ready to give her to you, back in Venice."  
"You misunderstood. I have sworn to never fly any kind of TARDIS again. But that is a story for another time. There is a whole Planet of new things waiting out there behind this door. Are you not curious to explore it?"  
"I have seen a mall, thank you."

But Tella noticed that sentence for what it was and apparently didn't want to talk about that topic anymore. It was strange, normally she rather reluctantly left the TARDIS but today she used the planet out there as an escape route. "Not like this one. If the rumors are to be trusted. There is a rather nice - how do you call it- spa, a couple of them actually. You just witnessed each other's death, you have earned it. Little time together until I've found the Doctor and cleaned up the mess I have made?"  
Rory took Amy's hand and gave her a look that definitely meant to let it go, then smiled.  
"I don't know. Anywhere's good for me. I'm happy anywhere. It's up to Amy this time. Amy's choice."

Tella held the door open for them after stepping carefully outside like she always did. "Indeed."  
This was not only about going outside, this went far deeper. If she coose to stay Tella was going to tell them, she somehow felt this. The Timelady was changing, as she had promised. Tella always keept her promises.  
Amy made up her mind. "Well, then lets go shoping. Hey, the Doctor said you get everything outside there. Betting I find one thing you don't?"  
"No. I can list at least three goods you certainly are not able to purcase here."  
Despite the emotionless remark there was a respect in her voice, that hadn't been there before and Amy knew instantly, this choice had been the right one, too.

* * *

 **AN:** Well hello. To clear any confusion, Tella was not able to influence anything at all. Everything happened exactly like we knew it, with the exeption of the reflection of a certain Timelady randomly poping up in shiny surfaces, watching and shaking her had.

And here comes my explanation for the TARDIS sound. A rather strange one, I know, but that head canon came with _The Doctors Wife_ and I wasn't able to let it go. So this shot is a little bit foreshadowing for that episode, too.  
As it is for so may other things, I love to place easter eggs.

That telepathic field of the TARDIS caused me a real headache. Why doesn't it translate gallifeyan in New Who when there are multiple episodes of the Classic series are playing on Gallifrey with companions who clearly do not speak gallifeyan? Other than it being "different" shows, that's it.  
Answer: there is only one person able to understand it anyway and you can't talk to yourself properly unless you cross your own timeline.  
Also Tella not being linked to that field is the reason for her strange accent.  
Yes. I realize I do make many mistakes on my own in my texts, but Tella's are actually intended. There is a funny scene where she doesn't speak the language of the people they meet so the Doctor has to translate all the time. Timelords are telepaths - touch-telepaths, but still, they know how to protect their minds. If Tella doesn't want the TARDIS or anybody else in her head they don't get in there without force. Humans logically don't have that choice.

As you may noticed, Tella grows fond of Amy and Rory first, before she starts to like the Doctor. She is simply curious about thise strange humans who are nothing like she had expected them to be. Tella certainly was a cat in one life XD  
And curiosity killed the cat.  
As I told you, Tella's last regeneration was mad. Utterly and completely insane, and she is still fighting with the aftermath of it. We normaly just don't see it because she willl never break down like she did here in company.

Thanks to Yankeegirl01 for following and favoring and everybody else for still staying with me in the chaos that is the revamping of this fic.

As always, read and review.

Greetings  
alkatie

Ps: So the twelfth Doctor, the first of a second circle will regenerate after an adventure with the exact same foes the first doctor encountered directly before his regeneration. They may be even regenerate form the same cause? Nice!  
Oh dear, had it realy been 12 weeks already?  
Still, the Doctor truly has to tell the tale how on earth he was able to pull that stunt of that fake regeneration in _The Lie of the Land_. I'm a bit dissapointed in the writers because they told us for years once a regeneration is triggered you can't stop this anymore. And I kinda like it that way.  
I somehow get the felling they at this point only wrote fanfiction themselves to get out with a bang^^

17062017


	11. A Mutual Understanding

**Disclaimer:** I do not own.

 **A mutual understanding**

(Interlude S.5 Ep.7 8)

 _All that time Amy just had to ask to get to know the Timelady a bit better._

-o0O0o-

"I am afraid, I am not familiar with this Term."  
Rory has called her crazy for even trying and the Doctor has laughed tears the moment she suggested it. Tella only stood in the door of her room, perfectly shielding it's insides with her body after Amy has knocked.  
"Girls day, you know? An evening out, having some fun, just you and me without the boys?"  
"You are aware of the contradicting timespan between a day and an evening?"

Why Tella had to be such a nitpit who took everything by its exact meaning? "What I'm saying is I want to spent some time with you. "  
Tella's eyebrow arced. "Me? Why?"  
Amy shrugged. "Why not?"  
"Reacting to a question with a counterquestion is a good way to guide the asking person to a new approach of the considered problem. But for that cause the counterquestion has to maintain a bit more information, deary."  
Amy groaned. "Never mind."

They have been right. It was ridiculous. Somehow things have changed ever since that incident with the telepathic field of the TARDIS. Tella regarded her and Rory both with a respect, friendliness and even something distantly similar to the curiosity the little Kapoka back on the Leviathan have had so openly shown, and somehow the obviously stupid Idea of trying to become friends again has stuck in Amy's head. She has ignored how difficult that woman actually was.

She turned to go back to the kitchen when Tella closed the door behind her. "Amelia, please. Why do you want to spend time with me?"  
There was an honesty in this question that caused her to turn again. She really wanted to know because Tella really _didn't knew_.  
"Don't you guys just hang out with each other. Just socializing?"  
"Rarely.. But yes. Still, that doesn't answer my question."  
Oh. OH!

"You think that… Oh, no. That fight is between you and the Doctor. You never tried to drag me or Rory into this so there is no reason why I don't want to get to know you. Also, I.. I've seen your face that second I woke up, back then with that Dreamlord-thing. … And I'm curious to get to know you?"  
She realized she started babbling under Tella's unwavering gaze and stopped, awkwardly shrugging again.  
"I'm not the only one with trust issues apparently."  
What the…  
Where did that come from? Tella's specialty number two: random statements out of context.  
"Sorry?"  
"Yes."

All right. Now the Timelady had definitely lost her. At least she noticed and clarified: "Yes. I would enjoy to spent time with you, Amelia Pond."  
"Oh. Cool, yeah. Ehm…. right now?"  
"It seems to be a fitting occasion."  
"Great! So… what shall we do?"  
"Considering my spare knowledge on this matter, I rather prefer to leave this decision to you."

Right… She somehow have known that if Tella joined her, it somehow was going to come to this. What could they do? Which things a person like Tella would enjoy? Everything they needed to leave the TARDIS for was out of the question, she hated to leave the ship. She liked music and books, and that was everything Amy knew about her. A trip to the Swimming pool? Nope, not after that awkward situation with her clothing. So there was exactly one thing left.  
"A Movie?"  
"Movie?"  
"Movie, you know? Video, moving pictures."  
There was a amused sparkle in her eyes. "I am aware of this human technology. I would love to watch a movie with you."  
Amy grinned. "Cool! Let's grab some snacks and then we'll see which ones the TARDIS has."  
"Amelia?"

Was that guilt in her eyes? "The fact of me being unfamiliar with the human cuisine beside, I… I do not cook."  
Amy laughed. "I'd hardly call popcorn cuisine. It's pretty easy, you can't be that bad."  
Tella stayed silent. Well, that was good to know. "Really? That bad?"  
They started to stroll to the kitchen nevertheless.

"I am afraid, yes. The only dish I am capable of preparing are… well some kind of… I apologize, I am afraid I know too little of your diet to be able to describe it. Anyway, on the rare occasion the preparation of food was necessary, Markelliox was the one doing it. She had a rare passion and gift for excellent cooking."  
"She? Wasn't Markelliox a man?"  
"Only in his second and seventh regeneration."  
Oh. So changing completely during regeneration meant literally completely. Then she realized which direction this conversation took and awkwardly tried to change into a saver topic than Tella's husband- or wife, knowing how touchy she could get about him. Or her. Geez!

"See, already learnt something new about you. Never leave Lady Storyteller in charge of the kitchen."  
"For the greater good of the universe, better not."  
Did she just made a joke? Her voice was even as ever and knowing her stand on that matter it could have been a typically blunt statement of hers, there was no indication of a sparkle or smile. But still, Amy was pretty sure that had been a joke. So she giggled. Tella didn't mind.  
"If you wish, I will ask the Doctor if it is edible for humans."  
"Some alien cooking? That'd be cool!"  
"It is not… "she stopped and sighted. "Yes. I would love to eat something gallifreyan, too for once." She eyed the entrance to the kitchen. "So…"

"Popcorn," grinned Amy and marched directly to the cupboard in which they stored the food, rummaged a bit in it and resurfaced with a package of popcorn kernels. Rory always preferred the self-made ones to microwave-popcorn, and in this case Amy was glad about it. She had no idea which flavor Tella preferred or if she even liked it, so it was best to start on a neutral ground. "I need a pot and a towel, please."  
"A… towel?"  
"Yeah. You gonna like that. A clean one. Oh, no that pot. The saucepan. Yeah, this one."  
Tella carefully placed the items in a neat row on the table. Amy grinned and snatched the oil. "Now I'll teach you the ancient and secret art of preparing one of humanities well loved snacks, a secret never ever shared with any alien before."  
Tella bowed her head. "I am deeply honored, however I was not aware that… Oh. Amelia!"  
But there was this amused sparkle in her eyes while Amy roared in laughter. Which just increased with Tella's surprised and then very very curious face the moment the towel started moving, caused by the first corns starting to pop against it.  
Secretly Amy was proud that nearly every single kernel actually popped up, letting it seem way more easy than cooking popcorn actually was. Still, it was worth the wait. The second time she added some sugar for herself, before filling it into two big bowls and putting the pot into the dishwasher.

"Everything alright?"  
They both turned to the Doctor and Rory standing in the kitchen entrance. "Have you been aware that humans have popping food, Doctor? It is truly fascinating."  
The Doctor blushed and Rory threw a horrified glance to Amy who nearly doubled in laughter again. Tella, obvious to it all continued with examinating and squeezing a single flake between her fingers with an even voice but clear amazement. "Let alone the unusual consistency of it. It is so… how do you even call how this is feeling like?"  
"Like popcorn," Amy chuckled.  
"Oh. Humans and their limited vocabulary. Anyway. This is a girls day, and how I understood the meaning of it, males are not permitted to participate. So I ask you humbly to leave the kitchen, please?"  
"Oh, that's no problem," Amy corrected fast. "See, we're finished anyway. So they can do whatever they want. If there's anything urgent, we're in the cinema."  
"We are going to watch a movie," Tella added.

The Doctor scratched his head and straightened his bowtie. "Ah, yes. Sure. Enjoy your… popcorn."  
"Thank you. Oh, dear. Roderick... Well, Amelia, at least now I know the reason for your husband's rather unusual nickname. He sometimes does wear a rather… puzzled expression."  
"Let's just go and watch a movie, right?"  
"Certainly. Have you already chosen one?"  
"Well not really. I wasn't sure which ones you actually like."  
"Maybe starting with a typical one? A classic I mean? That's always my approach when dealing with the Stories of a new species?"  
"Tella, the TARDIS has only classics in her collection…."

The Doctor and Rory warily stared after the two women walking down the corridor, then the Doctor cleared his throat. "I'll check the time rotor for some remnants of those pollens."  
"I.. I don't think you need to."  
"Better safe than sorry. Will be a shame if this only were a dream."  
Rory's head swirled around, but the Doctor ignored his surprised stares. His age-old eyes still lingered with a proud smile on the chattering figures with the bowls in their arms disappearing around the corner.

-o0O0o-

As it turned out to be, it wasn't as easy as that. In fact, the evening was nothing but awkward with them silently sitting next to each other and Amy eating all the popcorn because Tella didn't touch it again. She was more like a stiff statue, silently watching and merely blinking twice when Amy had to giggle. And when Amy finally closed the door to her and Rory's room behind her and leaned against it with a huff she swore herself to never do something like this again.

Until about a week later there was this distinctive, polite knock on their door.  
Both sat up in their bed and shared a look before Amy slipped out under the covers. "Yeah?"  
Tella instinctively turned and shielded her eyes. "I... I am terribly sorry."  
Amy looked down her nightie. "Oh, it's ok. Everything all right?"  
Tella straightened herself, her eyes solely on Amy's face. "Certainly. Ehm..."  
And then she jerked her head a bit to the left. Amy needed a second to understand that the Time Lady invited her to follow her down the left corridor, the movement was just a little bit to off. Then she nodded. "Ok?"  
Tella nodded gracefully and waited until she had grabbed her Night robe before guiding her through the corridors. To the Cinema.

Amy stopped surprised to take in the bottle of orange juice and the crisps standing on the table between the two seats, one of them already being occupied by Tella with a surprisingly expectant expression on her face. When Amy didn't move she cleared her throat. "That one actor was extraordinary so I choose another Movie starring him. It is catalogued into another genre, but I hope this is not a Problem?"  
"I thought it was horrible," blurted Amy out.  
"I see. Be assured, I am not going to waste any of your time anymore. I know how precious it is to terrestrial species. Do you wish me to accompany you to your room, so you can proceed in your resting circle?"  
"What? No! I ... Didn't you thought it was horrible?"  
"Oh, I rather enjoyed spending time with you."  
Amy slowly sat down. "Ok?"  
"Splendid!" Tella flicked a switch and the light dimmed down.  
She still showed little to no reaction or movement during the movie but sometimes Amy could feel her glancing at her.

Two days later Tella finished a sentence of her into a quote of the movie out of the blue and gifted Amy with a small smile when she reached an impressed eyebrow.  
The next week they met in the cinema without even setting a time.

The day after that they declared that from now on every Thursday evening was reserved for a Lady's Night. The Doctor of course pointed out that this was a time machine, so Thursday evening was whenever they wanted it to be. Amy would never forget the confused, wide-eyed expression when Tella matter of factly declared that this had been the point while she herself nearly doubled over in laughter.

-o0Oo-

Lady Storyteller was an alien. It was a fact you couldn't miss as soon as you started to spend time with her.  
Yes, the Doctor was one, too, but Tella was different.  
The Doctor as strange and eccentric he may be still behaved human. He knew how or why Rory and Amy did the things they did, he followed the pattern how they though and what they wanted. All those things Tella didn't.

It were the simple, everyday moments that proved it the most.

Her way of clothing and the irritation whenever Amy showed up in a skirt which wasn't even on of the short one she had as if she was running around nearly naked. Until the Doctor told them Gallifrey had a way stricter clothing codex which apparently neither allowed to show skin on your hands and feet nor on your neck.

All the weird stuff she could do, her finer senses, her silent movement, her sharp mind and her downright ecedectic memory.  
And this slight arrogance in telling them that this was perfectly normal. Her posh and nit-pick attitude created in centuries of teaching and grooming what she assumed the next generation of the mightiest species in the universe.

Her insistence on doing anything on her own because If a member of another species served food or assisted otherwise to a person of differing species it was a sign of surrender. Between Timelords on the other hand it was a gesture of courting, which made some situations rather awkward.

Her downright ridiculous precise routine when not being on an adventure, doing the exact thing on the exact time every day like a well-kept clockwork and the slight defeat whenever one interrupted or pulled her out of it. Which was another thing because according to the Doctor it went down to eating. Apparently whenever there was a meal every Gallifreyan dish had rules and a ritual how to eat it, planed down to how many seconds one had to chew one bite. They had laughed at that because come on that was just ridiculous, and the Doctor had grinned and said that this had been the reason he had left, too. They didn't quite believe him. Still, Tella never ate in company of any of them regardless of it being a single crisp, sandwich or an full three dish menu.

And so the Ladies Night turned into something where they slowly got to know and value each other and it took a surprisingly short time to became real friends with dreaded insiders and well-kept shared secrets. At least on Amy's side.  
Tella still was a bit difficult to crack open, it was always difficult to tell if she enjoyed something. That woman just never loosened up. But it was a part of her and it was surprisingly easy to accept once Amy realised that that perfect mask wasn't as perfect as she thought first.  
She had habits or a sparkle in her eyes which with little practice were readable as micro expressions. And Amy had seen a glimpse of Tella's true self after all, back on the Byzantium and that fear haunted her, so she found it surprisingly easy to leave that topic of loosening up alone.

They rather took long strolls, picnics or went to concerts and plays – all with the allowance of Rory of course.  
Another archaic habit in which she insisted on demonstrating that she had no intentions on stealing him his wife. Charming. Tella was married, too, after all. But like with all her other quips, they started to get used to it, too.

It was sometimes a bit strange but also fun how fascinated and interested Tella became in the easies concepts or things Amy had to explain. The most of them which she herself took for granted. A bit like the Doctor. Doctor-Amy. She ginned when she said that but the Doctor got those old large puppy eyes again, so she switched the topic immediately to Tella's new fondness of umbrellas. Which in turn led to a squabble between the two Timelords if Umbrellas were cool or not.  
Still, there had grown something like a fragile bond between them basing on a mutual understanding they were not able to grasp.

* * *

 **AN:** Have a little bonding between Amy and Tella. If this is far too domestic, I'm terribly sorry. This is one of the scenes I love to write but am always unsure to post because yes, it shows some character building, but they still don't feel quite right.  
What do you say? Is it out of place and basically a filler or does it provide some different point of view of which this story profites on?

About that statement with the trust issues, yes both of them have them.  
Amy was abandoned by a person she trusted just to be told by everybody else this person didn't even existed and called crazy. This causes very deep trust issues and I hope I can portray them properly in this fic. Because regarding this, her reaching out to Tella is rather out of character. Except if you know that Amy learned to trust Tella's alter ego before she was freed from the pocket watch, and with every time Tella opening herself up a little, a part of that persona becomes visible again.  
Tella… well yeah. Being betrayed and abandoned by your family and people does this to you. Amy actually gets to the wrong conclusion why Tella asks about her wanting to spent time with her. She's so accustomed to people always having second thoughts when dealing with her, the thought of a person just wanting to spend time with her for hers sake doesn't even come to her mind. But she get's this out of Amy's answer so she never speaks about it. And this being told out of Amy's POV we don't, too. Luckily there is this AN :-)

The Doctor is very proud of his Amy Pond getting Tella to stop being bitter all this time, and drawing out her more hidden sides.

Anyway, thank you to Chimmichery and BloodyGrim for your reviews and pointing out that I missed to update the AN in chapter 16 which announced that I'm revamping this. *sweatsmile*

I'm glad you like the first chapter, I was a bit unsure of it because the first paragraph was terrible to write and is still a bit confusing.

Thank you for still staying with me.

As always read and review  
alkatie

PS: Oh, and I have a tumbr, now. I wasn't able to hold myself back after that last episode. It's nothing special and I'm not yet sure what to do with it, but maybe there will be some info about this fic, too. Some drawings or deleted scenes or me just rambling a bit more about things, I don't know ,yet. The link is on my profile page if you want to give it a try.


	12. Of this other species

**Disclaimer:** Sorry, but I still do not own.

 **Of this other species**

(S.5 Ep.8 & 9)

 _The bitter truth of life is to be constantly evolving, learning things about each other, discard things one thought about each other and losing things without noticing._

-o0O0o-

"I don't understand what you're going to do."  
The Boy, Elliot, watched as the Doctor tinkered with the Monitors, scanning in his hand-drawn plan of all security devices placed in the little village.  
"Two phase plan. First, the sensors and cameras will tell us when something arrives. Second, if something does arrive, I use this to send a sonic pulse through that network of devices. A pulse which would temporarily incapacitate most things in the universe."  
"Knock 'em out. Cool!"  
The Doctor smiled and adjusted a setting on his screwdriver.

"Lovely place to grow up round here," he murmured.  
"Suppose. I want to live in a city one day. Soon as I'm old enough, I'll be off."  
The Time Lord sighted knowingly. "I was the same where I grew up."  
"Did you get away?"  
There was this bright childish curiosity and awe he loved so much. The one convincing him to answer, despite knowing exactly which question was going to follow "Yeah."  
"Do you ever miss…"

"Sh," interrupted the Doctor, shook his screwdriver, checked the readings on it and scanned again. "There's something…."  
He jumped around the Monitors and turned once round the room, slowly locating something."  
"Are the monsters coming?"  
He shook his head. "Not yet. This is something else…. A homing signal or something…There you are!"  
He flickered with his screwdriver and a slow pitched kind of tact like a mechanical heartbeat became audible. Everybody in the room froze." What the hell is this!"

The Doctor eyed the readings. "I'm not sure… Oh! Brilliant! Anybody having a mobile? You, Nasreen, you surely have a mobile phone!"  
She nodded and pulled hers out of her pocket which the Doctor promptly snatched out of her hand and sonniced. Then he put it to his ear. "Hello?"  
"What are you doing? You said there is no signal!"  
He ignored the protests and continued. "Hello? This is the Doctor, to whom do I speaking?"

There was a scratching noise, then a female voice: "You are homing on the signal of the only TARDIS in existence and you know that. Stop being this overdramatic, your situation is dire enough."  
The humans changed looks. "How's that possible!"  
The Doctor ignored them. "Tella! How is it going outside there!"  
"Oh, I am fine. It is you that I am worried for."  
" Worried? For me? You flatter me!"  
" Oh be silent! …. Are you attempting to flirt with me?"  
The Doctor blushed crimson. "No! No of course not. Wouldn't dare!"

"Good. You are captured under a localized shield, but you already know that. What you do not know, the reason for the ground feeling off here is…"  
"It being bioprogrammed. And there are three capsules powered by geothermic energies reaching the surface in less than four minutes."  
"I should have known. This is a mining company, they have the scientific equipment for that. That and your annoying gusto of upgrading technology way over the standards of the current time zone."  
"Well, it's a life and death situation! The ground attacked and sucked in two people already. I had to!"  
"It was a simple statement, no accusation. Still, I am currently reprogramming the TARDIS's circuits to overcome this shield and get you out of there. Do not change your position."  
"We only have three minutes, Tella!"  
"It is a time machine. You probably can already see the outlines of her materializing."  
"No! No Tella, don't. We need to stay here. I'll call you when to come if you keep this line open, but not yet!"  
"Doctor, the TARDIS database may classify them to be a class seven civilization, but highly dangerous from own experience."  
"So it _is_ a Silurian tribe."  
"Tribes", corrected Tella. "The TARDIS scans reveal a whole city structure undermining the complete valley. Build for a population of millions."  
The Doctor went silent and closed his eyes.

"Doctor," Elliot silently asked," Doctor, is this bad?"  
He smiled and ruffled the kid's hair. "Yes. But it's going to be all right. We'll find your dad. I've met them before."  
"Were you scared?"  
"No. They were scared of me." He put the mobile back on his mouth. "Tella? They have Amy."  
There was a moment of silence. Then: "You should better hurry to get her back, then. For your own sake. I think Rory will not be amused."  
"Neither are you," he murmured silently.

"Doctor," Mack insisted, "who's that. And what is a TARDIS!"  
"And why are you able to speak with her! You said there's no signal," added Nasreen.  
He sighted. "She's a…."  
"Acquaintance."  
"An acquaintance you might say. Outside the shield. She stayed with my ship, the TARDIS."  
"The Woman in the brown dress in that blue box, up at the graveyard," Elliot asked.  
The Doctor grinned. "Yes! Exactly! You've met her?"  
"Briefly," answered Tella."They mistook us for executive law enforcement. Rory went with them. You really need to change the outer dimensions appearance."  
"It's stuck! I told you."  
"You… are not the police," Elliot interrupted.  
"I'm even better. I'm the Doctor." He grinned and talked in the phone again. "But Nashreen is right. How are you pulling this?"

The answer was a word nobody had ever heard before.  
"What!"  
"I told you I have worked with that model before."  
"A what," Nashreen asked.  
"There is no word in any human language for this. Basically, she's using the TARDIS's ability as an omni-temporal existent being. She sends the messages back in time before the shield closed, letting them linger here for me picking them up. And to pick mine up she extracts them in another timeline where the shield never happened or the TARDIS is within it. Without disrupting our time stream. Except not. It's difficult to explain if you don't have any idea what I'm talking about, so just forget what I've said. All you need to know that that's Timeengeniering on the finest level!"  
"Thank you." There was not a bit of pride in Tella's voice, as if this was nothing.  
The Doctor gulped. There were few Timelords able to succeeded with something like this. There was precise knowledge of the other timesteams needed in order to not disrupt them, as well as exelent piloting skills and knowledge of the TARDIS Type they were working with. And Tella apparently had done it just like that. Maybe it had to do with her abilities as a Seer? It probably did. She could easily distinguish the necessary events happening to not disturb the lines after all. And she mentioned being a good pilot before. He had thought she exxavagated but apparently not. Not if she could pull this. "Are you able to keep it up when I go down there?"  
"No. But I am positive the circuits will be adjusted in a few hours, so the normal homing on the key will work just fine. We will be there when you need us."

The Doctor nodded and checked the time. Two minutes. But instead of a good bye, he asked a question. "You knew this would happen."  
"There… was the possibility. The grass on Mr. Eddard's grave was blue."  
" I see. We'll see each other."  
"May the guardians be with you."  
"Course they are! I'm one of their champions!"  
"For that, dearie, you are losing way too much time."  
"Right. "  
He pressed the button and threw the mobile back to Nashreen who barely caught it. "Two minutes left. Get everybody in here. I know who they are and what to do. Ambrose, I need your car. An Fire extinguisher. Cold water, anything cold. Cold blood. We're going to catch and freeze them."

-o0O0o-

Lady Storyteller stepped out of the TARDIS again onto that strange feeling ground and blinked. The Shield was still there. Yes, the TARDIS had adjusted to it so the Timemachine had been able to pass through when homing on the key, but still. Something was wrong.  
"Ah, Tella there you are!"  
"Doctor? Is everything all right?"  
"Yep."  
"So we are leaving?"  
"You're coming with me? Oh, that's going to be a bummer, Amy will be happy to see you!"  
"Stop. Please. I thought you... Amy is not here?"  
"No. I need the TARDIS to get down there and get her out. Haven't you checked the Time-Space coordinates? It's roughly twelve minutes after our call."  
"You have done things in less than that Time."  
"True. Still. Are you… Wait, wait, wait. What are you think you doing?"

A woman, probably middle aged stopped before them and grinned. "Coming with you, of course. What is it, some kind of transport pod? "  
"Certainly not," Lady Storyteller clarified with a raised eyebrow while the Doctor simultaneously answered: „Sort of, but you're not coming with me."  
"Why! Her you asked to come with you, but me you refuse?"  
"I am a member of his species, not only capable of controlling this very high technological Space and Time traveling device but also way more resistant to the obstacles we may face there than your fragile human body."  
"So you _are_ an alien!"  
"Why, for time's sake every single human is this obsessed with this term. I do not call you an alien either, and I have complete legitimate reason to do so, too!"

The Doctor rubbed his forehead."That's not the time to discuss that, Tella. Nashreen. Sorry but, no."  
The Woman crossed her arms before her body." I have spent all my life excavating the layers of this planet, and now you want me to stand back while you head down into it? I don't think so."  
"I don't have time to argue."  
"I thought we were in a rush."  
Intriguing. Apparently, she was just the same as Amelia. The Storyteller rose one eyebrow. "It is going to be highly dangerous."  
"Oh, so's crossing the road."

Exactly like Amy, it seemed. So may it be. "All right. But promise me to return them safe."  
"You're not coming with us?"  
"Oh, I never intended to. Meeting a Silurian is an experience I prefer to rater avoid."  
The Doctor threw his head back and groaned. "Oh, for goodness sake. All right, then. Come on!" With that he disappeared into the TARDIS, shutting the door behind him.

The Woman, Nasreen, reached for the handle of the door, but the Storyteller stopped her by blocking the handle and stepping forward into the human's private bubble. "I am completely serious. Be careful down there. Silurian's do not have the best opinion on humans and neither have I. I trust you with this so bring them back save. All of them. Especially him."  
Nasreen gulped and her pupils widened in that characteristically manner all human ones did when scared. Good. "Is he... your husband?"  
"Thank the guardians not. But the only other of my species left."  
Nashreen nodded slowly. "Okay."  
"Splendid." The Storyteller smiled and took a step back, releasing her. "Beware, a TARDIS from the inside is not what it seems on the outside. It sometimes confuses people."  
Nasreen nodded again and slipped unnecessarily fast into the ship, practically throwing the door shut behind her.

Maybe she had overdone it a bit, true. But it had been necessary. She did not have the luxury to get to know the behaviorally pattern of that Woman like she has with Amy and Rory, but they had enough common character traits to be one of those who were worth the time. So, a little scare would work enough untill they wee able to get to know each other properly. Still, she hated when she had to do that. Too deep were the wounds of people running in terror before her and the memories of…

She was never able to finish that thought because the ground started to shake, and the TARDIS slumped down into a hole forming right under her.  
No! Nononono, no!  
"Doctor!"

-o0O0o-

"Did somebody just knocked?" Ambrose eyed the door warily.  
"Could be the Doctor, "Rory mused. "But then he just waltzes in."  
"I thought he went to see those... lizards."  
"We've heard the TARDIS arriving but not dematerializing. Trust me. You knew when he's gone."  
Again. The same two discreet but confident knocks on the door.  
"Maybe it's the Monsters?" Eliot asked.  
"Monsters don't knock. Not those I know of at least."

"Roderick?"  
Rory blinked confused. "Tella? What are you doing here?"  
"They have the TARDIS. The Floor took her in, together with the Doctor and that Human. I think she is called Nashreen. Would you please open the Door, it is rather uncomfortable to stand here and scream to hold this conversation."  
Scream, huh? She barely spoke louder than normally. Nothing compared to the shrill loud screeching she was capable of when angry.  
"It's open. The door sticks …"  
The door banged against the wall and Tella stumbled inside before catching it swinging back so it didn't hit her.  
"… just a bit," Rory finished. The Time Lady cleared her throat awkwardly and closed it behind herself. "Apologies. Luck and precious times."

"Those things have Nashreen," Mack asked anxious.  
Tellas eyes gleamed disappointed about not getting a greeting in return, but she choose to answer nevertheless. "Oh, she had been in the TARDIS the point they took her, so she certainly is fine."  
"So," Rory rose his eyebrows, "then why are you here?"  
"Because I obviously wasn't."  
He groaned inwardly. That Woman. "Obviously. Why?"  
"Oh. Well, I prefer to rather avoid those Silurians. Amazing species if the rumors are to be believed, but also rather prideful and unforgiving. Too many similarities, you know."

"And you let the Doctor taking her with him to those…. Things," Mack asked unbelievingly.  
"Those things as you call them are a sentient species technologically higher evolved than you are. And yes. She made the Impression of a strong and capable character, perfectly aware of what she was doing so why should I intervene. I…"  
She went silent and took a few steps before standing right before Mack and examined him closely. Rory gulped. This, he had learned very fast, was never a good sign. "Why are you a fix-point?"  
Oh no. Not one of those moods again.

"A What?"  
"A fix-point. A secured point in time, influencing it heavily. No not you. You are just the set up. A scatter point. The real decision is ….Alayas to make. Alaya. Who of you is Alaya. You?"  
Ambrose shook her head. "No?"  
"The Silurian," Elliot piped up," didn't the Doctor said that's her name?"  
Tella rose one eyebrow but her whole face softened when she saw the boy. "Which Silurian?"  
"The one in the Crypt."

"There is a Silurian in the crypt?"  
"Yeah. We've captured her and now the Doctor uses her to get my Dad back."  
Tella smiled the soft smile she normally only had when remembering her husband. "And he will. As well as Amy, Rory. I am truly sorry for not being able to provide any assistance on that matter."  
Awkwardly Rory shrugged. "You're here."  
"Yes, "Ambrose interrupted," she is. Great. What is this thing going to do to my dad!"  
Tella sighted and mumbled something non-audible although Rory had the faint idea it was another complain about his species. "I see. You are his daughter, and Elliot is your son. You already have lost your husband to them, and now everything depends on Alaya."

"On it doing What!"  
"There is no reason using this tone, deary. So please refrain from further doing so. No wonder they see you as primitive apes. You are currently the ambassadors of humanity, to convince them you are not what they think you are, but you are doing a poor job at that. Believe me, I know how hard it is to not know the fate of a beloved while having yourself and your family threatened by the same foe who took them, but please, please try to stay reasonable. This is what it means to be civilized. Your father had been poisoned in an attack, depending on which poison used we have another 30 minutes up to three hours until it is going to be lethal. I will talk to Alaya to help me with an Antidote. Appaently, I will meet a Silurian today, after all."  
Rory released the breath he wasn't able to recall holding. Just barely saved.  
Tella was getting better at this. Anyway. Poison. Well, alien... no. Not alien poison. Silurians were a Species from earth.

"Ok, so, um. We normally try to remove poisoning substances out of the human body. Does this work here, too?"  
"I don't know but it may slow down the progress remarkably. Just do not to get in touch with it. So nothing like those weird tales of sucking it out. Do you even do this or is it just fiction?"  
Rory pondered a second but then decided not to tell her. "Not important. Get the antidote, I'll handle this. I'm a nurse," he added, noticing the doubtful glances around him.  
Ambrose pressed her lips together but said nothing.  
Tella turned to go into the crypt, when Mack's voice held her back. "Do you really think she will help us." _Help me_.  
"It depends."  
"On what!"  
"Everybody."

-o0O0o-

"You had to come and gloat."  
The Storyteller sighted at the venomous words. "I am going to keep you safe. You are of the same value to us as are the humans your people have captured to them."  
Alaya laughed and stood up, crawled out of the shadows and she flinched.  
"Oh. Look at this scared little ape."  
"I am not repulsed by your appearance. Quite the opposite actually. The reports indicated a rather…. Different appearance but then, it is a tribe processing the third eye. I am merely saddened by you being chained to that wall like a primitive animal."  
There was open surprise and confusion on that rather handsome face, her hostile position instantly relaxing. Until she realized what had happened. "You… are the same species than this Doctor. I see. He lied."  
"Oh, that is rule number one when dealing with him. But he had not. He still sometimes forgets me, although we do accompany each other for a few weeks already. May I take a seat?"

"Do I have a choice," Alaya mumbled sarcastically.  
"Of course you do. You are our guest."  
She snorted and raised her chained wrists. "In my civilization we normally don't chain our guests like- how did you put it, right some primitive animal."  
"Mine neither. But that is the one thing you have guessed right. They are scared." Lady Storyteller finished her search for a second chair for Alaya without result, so she sat down on the floor in an appropriate distance. "Scared of everything new and different. Just like every other species in the universe."  
Alaya tilted her head but sunk on the floor, too. "What are you."

"That's not important. The important thing is humanity decided to share their planet with both of us," she lied through her teeth. "They are terribly annoying, hot- headed and unrestrained. But they allowed us to live here."  
"So that's it about. Never. Shall I tell you what's really going to happen? One of them will kill me. My death shall ignite a war, and every stinking ape shall be wiped from the surface of my beloved planet."

The Storyteller remained silent. It was the easiest was to confuse and break an individuum, she had learned that a long time ago. Just a pregnant silence and the imagination of one's opponent. With enough time even the most stubborn novice had talked. And as always these tactics never disappointed.  
"Your silence says everything. I know apes, and apparently better than you do. You lick their furry boots because they allowed you to stay on a planet which didn't even belong to them, but you know nothing. I know which one of them will kill me. Do you?"  
Breath in. Breath out and release. You are a lord of time itself. You stand above the squabbles of such lower species. You have detached yourself. And the reigns of her temper held. They always did when needed.  
"No. Because I do not need to. The human you injured is currently in medical care, and I am confident he will be fine on a few hours."  
"You can't change his destiny."  
"Not yet."

Alaya hissed. „So that's what you want."  
"The choice is yours. I am confident you take the right one."  
"You mean the right one out of your point of view."  
" I do not have a point of view. I swore not to interfere with any living being's decisions, mind or timeline."  
Alaya flinched back. „You're a Time Lord!"  
The Storyteller didn't react but neither adverted her gaze.

"Did they call you? What are you doing here!"  
"As I said. I live on this planet."  
"So it is true. You've really fallen. Sunken low enough to see yourself on one level with apes."  
"Or maybe they have risen above what your tribe remembers of them."  
Alaya stared into her eyes. "Never!"  
What a stubborn person. All this bloodshed in the future because one person couldn't overcome her narrow-minded view of life. But on the other hand this was the origin of all violence in the Universe. Too stubborn people.  
Lady Storyteller sighted and stood up, clearing her dress from the dirt of the floor. "A pity. As you wish."

She turned to leave but was stopped by the Silurians scornful voice. "Is it that what he meant? About us having our work cut out. Not even the Time Lords will be able to stop us, you are not even allowed to do so, or you expose how far you've really fallen to the universe. Believe me, the fire of war is already lit. A massacre is due. And as I've already said to your Doctor-friend: I will gladly die for my cause."  
A small smile escaped Tella before she wiped it from her face and turned again. She always accused the Doctor of being over dramatic, but the truth was she knew exactly how intimidating the right amount of drama was. Her former regeneration had been a downright Drama queen.

She slowly stepped back down the stairs one by one, placed one feet after another, eyes fixated on Alaya's before crouching down, filling the crypt with another pregnant silence. Then she started to speak in a low, even voice.

"You think dying is the ultimate sacrifice. It is the cowards' way out. You are willingly to die but are you brave enough to live. To face the inferno, you will ignite. To see your comearades, friends and family die beside you while you carry on this senseless quest. Are you willing to watch your planet burn? Just because of one misunderstanding between two of its species? Because earth will burn. If you come to take something form humanity they will fight back. You say they will lose and maybe they will. Most certainly they will. But you will to. I do not know much about humanity, I do not even care much about humanity, but I have learned one thing about them. _They_ care for what they see as theirs. And they rather destroy it than leaving it in the hands of others. And they currently have the technology to turn this solar system into an intergalactic quarantine-zone for the next ten thousand years. But you will never see it because you had the easy way out. You will not be there when they need you to to enfoce and man your stations when everybody else has fallen. You will never be there to help, when they need you. Alaya, you said you love this planet. Is this the future you want for it? This war you want is no solution. It never is."

Alaya forced herself to hold her gaze, not to give in into the fear the twitching of her mouth and the little sideward turn of her head indicated under all circumstances. "Your empty threats are nothing but the proof of your despair."  
"I did not intent to threat you in any way, Alaya. I only hoped to be able to share my personal observations with you, so you could benefit from them. I saw my planet burn, I do not wish the same experience upon anybody else. Nobody wants a planetary civil war."  
" _Civil_ War!"  
"Yes," Lady Storyteller insisted. "Both of you are species of this planet, are you not? Both of you have the right of existing of it as have every other species, too. You did not eliminate birds or some lizards because they shared your ecosphere either. So why humans?"  
"Because they…." The Silurian stopped and hissed at the Time Lady.  
The Storyteller rose one eyebrow. "Because they what?"  
Alaya stayed in her stubborn silence.

"Alaya," the old teacher admonished in a low voice and the warrior turned her head away.  
She was not able to admit it and the Storyteller completely understood. A few weeks ago she herself had not been able to admit how highly evolved humans actually had been in comparison to what she had been taught. So she finished the sentence with an educated guess for her scaly guest. "Because they are the sentient species taking your place and thus equaling yourself which cannot be tolerated. It can. If you ask instead of simply taking."  
"They attacked first!"

"They not intended do. They were curious, curious to why there were minerals in the ground causing grass to turn blue. Curious about the secrets hidden in the depths of their planets and so their scientist came to explore. You do not often find such a childish clumsiness and curiosity in a species as they have. It is terribly annoying most of the time, yes. But both your species scientists would have so much to give each other."  
Alaya stayed silent in a clearly pouting way. She needed time, so the Storyteller nodded and left.  
It was solely the Silurians Choice, after all. Even if she might have influenced it a bit. Apparently the Doctor started rubbing of on her.

-o0O0o-

Elliot starred worried out of the window, clinging to his mother which Rory totally was able to understand. Lady Storyteller had played cards and drawn pictures with him while they had waited of any sign of the Silurian or the Doctor and had shown an overall softness and warmth like never before, not even during her 'Girls Days' with Amy.  
She was good with kids, something one sadly couldn't always expect from a teacher, and the boy downright fell for her during the brief time they spent together.

Now the Silurian was dead and Tella furious. She had left the church the second she realized what had happened and now paced up and down between the gravestones like a vengeful ghost, not able to bear the company of humans anymore. Rory had told the others what was best in that situation, to simply leave her alone until she had calmed down. Still, the boy was frightened.  
He wasn't. It was worrying how accustomed Rory became to Tella's anger, in that short time he knew her. On the other hand, she always allowed him to help her cool down. Her anger was like an Inferno, a burning sun destroying everything but also like a high but fast burning bonfire so -with a few exceptions- very short lived and cooled down quickly.  
So he waited until she finally sat down on a bench a few meters away before opening the door. Mack blocked the entry. "Are you sure?"  
Rory nodded and closed the door behind him.

He walked over to her but stopped shortly behind her and kept a distance, carefully clearing his throat. "Lady Storyteller?"  
"No."  
"It's…."  
"Roderick, please."  
"But we need to know what we shall do."

At least she turned her head so she was able to see him out of the corner of her eye. "I do not care. It was your responsibility as humans to keep her alive, to show her you are different from what they thought you are. I never should have become this intertwined."  
His hands curled into fists. "They have Amy!"  
"And the Doctor. And most certainly another two innocent humans. That is the reason I simply do not understand why you was not more consequent."  
"Me? I didn't…"  
Oh.  
Oh no.

She had spent some good times with Amy and they had done some pretty insane things together. And he had been really happy the first time Tella had asked her to spend some time alone but in fact after having a wonderful movie night, it had ended in a big rant about the Doctor and her discomforts and him smoothing this out. It didn't happen always whenever she had asked him for a bit spare time, but sometimes, whenever she needed to talk, she had come to him. He was sure she also talked with Amy, but Amy loved the Doctor in a downright worshipping way. So, it seemed naturally that if she was annoyed with her fellow speciesmen, she had come to Rory. Being himself, he had listened and discussed, even if it had been a bit straining. But it had helped her to adjust and so he gladly helped. Maybe a bit too good.

"Tella, I'm just… me. I'm not… I'm a human. Not special at all."  
"You underestimate yourself. You were able to let me believe that every human has the talent of goodness you process, convince me that humanity is greater than it is. You were such a good mediator between the Doctor and myself. I knew this could happen, but I honestly thought we could handle her. Together."

"Uhm…", said Rory, not sure what to answer to something like that.  
"I do not blame you," she clarified, "I blame my own naiveté. I thought it would help her to calm down to knew what will happen and that there is a cure. This... human ruined everything, and it could have been such an easy treatment. Just a simple decontamination, and that…." -she splats something in gallifreyan-" ruined everything. I beg your pardon for my terribly undignified language, it is a habit I picked up in my last regeneration and somehow am not able to let go," she added with a softer voice.  
Rory stayed silent. It was the easiest way to deal with this, but he nodded. Tella joined him in his silence and stared straight ahead for a long time. Then, the moment Rory decided to open his moth to bring up the reason why he came out here in the first place she suddenly turned to face him. "May I ask a question?"  
He blinked closed his mouth and opened it again. "Sure."  
"Why?"  
He cringed but she continued. "Alaya not only choose to tell us about his condition but she also provided some solutions to stop the mutation. Why did Ambrose still follow the urge to take revenge on her knowing that those actions prohibit the help she wanted to gain with acting like that. This makes no sense!"

"I….can't answer that."  
"But you are a human."  
"Yeah…"  
She eyed him for a long time, clearly waiting for him to say more, but when he didn't her eyebrow arched. "You are a strange species."  
Rory shrugged helplessly. She shook her head in a precise motion form right to left before starring right ahead again. He cleared his voice. "They contacted us. They will send those transport things for us to come down and be able to negotiate. I know you…"  
"No," Tella interrupted. "No. I will follow you down there to get into the TARDIS. I have enough of your species for today."  
"You can't just chicken out…"  
"Chicken out? Rory Williams. This is your responsibility alone to deal with. I never choose or wanted to get involved in this mess your speciesmen created. And I am also not going to in the future."  
"The Doctor won't be happy."  
"Are you implying I should care about what this airhead thinks about me?"

Rory gulped under her stern but bored gaze, before she looked out over the graveyard again and continued. "He swore to accept my whishes whenever I choose to stay in the TARDIS and not to join on his so-called adventures. As I did today. It was solely a chain of unfortunate events leading me to even stepping onto this place and his horrendous people. I respect you, Rory Williams. But for today I do not wish to speak to any member of the human race anymore."  
"Fine. We will be able to pull this without you anyway!" It was a childish lie and he knew it. He was scared. Not worried, but really scared and not sue if the Doctor was able to pull them out of this on his own. They needed Tella as a backup. And she was such a…  
"Otherwise, I would not choose to stay out of this."

She really believed this? Apparently she did. Rory sighted, a tard angry about that involuntary grin on his face.  
She was disgusted by humanity, but not by himself or Amy. "Then let's get over with this."

-o0O0o-

The single candle flickered and made it even more difficult to make out the small letters in the dark. Good.  
The Storyteller narrowed her eyes and concentrated, pushing away the whispering in her head, drowning it in the words of the children's tale she read.

It had been a bad Idea to return into the TARDIS in her state of mind. But as soon as she had realized that, she had already panicked and hadn't been able to think clearly anymore. Which was why instead of stepping outside, she had fled from the console room into the ships depths, down into the dustiest corner of the library's section about the time war. To the place where everything reminded her of the reason why exactly one must never cross ones' own timeline, breaking and crippling it to ones' own will.  
Now she was trapped, the way to free herself from this hell in her head leading directly to the irresistible Temptation.  
Why did he even place the entrance in the control room?

Oh, she knew the Doctor could handle this situation. There were a few timelines were he successfully avoided the bloodbath, sometimes even left in peace.  
But for the first time in thousand years the Storyteller had the devices at her disposal to ensure exactly one of those timelines was going to happen.  
And it was wrong, so terribly wrong.  
She could fix this, depose of all those other, unfortunate timelines without anybody noticing and even the Doctor just having a vague feeling of difference. She could even get rid of this terrible selfish human who caused this in the first place. No, this woman was a mother, of a wonderful boy, insecure but quick-minded. So instead she could take her fear away, made her act reasonable, mold and bend her little fragile mind into something better. But she wouldn't.  
No, the Storyteller didn't commit such atrocities. She had sworn to respect other species. Even if she didn't understand such idiocy.

But it had been her fault.  
There was a reason the Time Lords choose absolute neutrality.  
He first time she tried to change the outcome of the situation, she caused a suicide. That fish certainly deserved it. But the point was, she had killed. Again.  
Just as today. She didn't help Alaya, she even made things worse. Well not exactly, the Silurian was going to die even if the Storyteller hadn't been there. Because she had ignored the bigger picture, the influence of the others.  
And that time she tried to secure, not to change a timeline? Everybody hated her for that, too.  
No.  
She would never intervene in anything ever again.

She was a Time Lady, of the Drome nonetheless. Even in their drawn-in society, her chapter were the silent specters, guarding knowledge with no interest to intervene in anything the other chapters improvised, yet counseling the ones who sought them out in their residences far away from the cities and the citadel.

She was forced by the circumstances to live with the Doctor. This didn't mean she had to live like the Doctor.

Her hand stroke over the delicate full-page illustration of the three main characters laying stargazing in the grass. No, she had build herself a decent life in the Tardis on her own, with those two surprising humans she came to call her friends. Well, not friends, this word implied trust in each other. But still, the Doctor had to accept that. She had no illusion who they chose if it was coming down to it one day, no. But she had an own life, how fragile it may be, in which she decided her destiny alone.

"Tella? What are you doing?"  
Surprised she looked up and closed the book, forcing down the relived smile in favor to her normal neutral face. That unbelievable cretin of a timetodd had did it again. "Roderick."  
"Why are you sitting in the dark, reading... oh never mind. I need your help at the... med bay."  
"I am afraid, I am not well versed with the medical care of species other than my own..."  
"No, I can't read the inscriptions on the boxes. Please?"  
Oh. She stood up. "Certainly."

He lead the way and once there, instructed her with a list of everything he needed. The Storyteller shot Ambrose a warning glare before she started to pull out the materials needed to help the humans husband. Rory treated the injured leg with practiced ease before he rose one eyebrow.  
"I'll check on the others. This takes too long. Can I leave you alone."  
How insulting. "I am not the unpredictable one."  
Ambrose flinched but nodded, and it satisfied the Storyteller to find guild in her eyes. "We'll manage, I think."  
"We will, indeed," the Time Lady nodded.  
Rory shook his head and left to the controll room.

He never returned.

-o0O0o-

"Tella?" Amy knocked a second time, but there still was no answer. Alright, this was her fault alone.  
"I'm coming in now."  
Determined she pushed the button to open the door. Which opened. A good sign. Or not, because normally Tella never allowed anybody into her room. "Hey, everything ok? Eliot wanted to say good bye, so I thought I'll fetch fetch you... What are you doing?"  
The Time Lady kneeled before a huge piece of paper spread on the floor between a brunch of burning candles, sketching randomly circles over circles with a charcoal on it. It looked like some weird ritual or something.

"Writing," she declared absentmindly.  
"Oh, ok. Cool. You guys letters really are circles?" She had seen it on the TARDIS screen endless times, but she never expected one could write like this as a handwriting.  
"Your human letters always consist of lines and bows, no matter which alphabet. Where is the difference in using another geometrical form?"  
"It just looks complicated."  
"It is. Which is why I ask you to return another time with whatever matter of concern you process."  
"But we're leaving now. If you want to say goodbye, you have to come now."  
"Not now. I need to write this down before I forget. I must never forget."

"You rather write diary than see of a boy you'll never meet again and who really likes you?"  
"It is not a diary, it is a timestream."  
Wait, did being a seer mean one also wrote down prophecies? It would explain her uncommonly hastily, scratchy movements with which she downright frantically scratched down her circles, points and lines. How she not once stopped or looked away. And the whole setup with the candles.  
"Are you... writing down a prophecy?"  
"A prophecy would imply a future. This is only a past."  
"So if it's a past, it can wait. Come on!" Why did she have to be like that? " Tella, please. Try to behave like a human for this kid and at least say goodbye."

"I cannot. Not now."

"Why!"  
"It is my purpose, my promise. To remember. To tell the story."  
"Then do it another time! Three minutes! You can spare at least three minutes!"  
"I cannot. So please stop to importune me with this matter. It is not my fault that terrestrial lifeforms have such a short lifespan, so they cannot wait until I finished this."  
Amy stared at her, not sure if she had heard what she just heard. "You are an absolute jerk, _Story_ teller."

With that she whirled around and stomped out of the room, back to the control room and out of the TARDIS where the others were. They chitchatted a bit more and when the boy asked her about Tella, Amy smiled her warmest smile and told him that she couldn't come out, but he could keep the playing cards. He nodded and pretended to take it like a man but the shimmer in his eyes made her even angrier. When they finally were alone again, just the Doctor and her, she couldn't hold back anymore. "Which planet do you think Tella hates the most?"  
He sighted and grinned. "That would make it even worse, believe me."  
"Worse than scribbling stupid circles instead of being a decent being. And don't say she is, in your culture."  
He stopped. "Circles?"

"Yeah, the ones on the TARDIS Display, something about a timestream." Then she noticed his weird expression. " Doctor?"  
But he already grinned. "Why don't we ignore that stuffy old Time Lady, and go to Rio? The right one, this time."  
"Ok, what's going on? You're strangely quiet, and Tella is a total jackass. Something happened I don't know of?"  
Instead of answering he pointed at the other side of the valley. „OH, hey look!"  
Amy reluctantly followed his finger, and there was she again, alone, as always. She smiled and waved back. "There I am again. Hello, me."

But shouldn't there...

"Are you okay?"  
She blinked. "I... thought I saw someone else there for a second. I need a holiday. Didn't we talk about Rio?" She pulled the door open and stepped inside.  
The Doctor fiddled with the screwdriver. "You go in. Just fix this lock. Keeps jamming."

"You boys and your locksmithery."  
Rio was a good Idea, if they hit it this time. Tella would hate it, too. Amy closed her eyes.  
Why was she even that angry at her? Yes, she had been a jerk, but this wasn't a reason for this... jealousy.  
Why was she jealous at Tella?  
She didn't remember.

* * *

AN: Wait, two updates in two days? I'm surprised myself, but I found this nearly finished chapter in one of the dustiest corners on my hard drive. So, I polished it up and here you are. Yes, Tella writes down Rory's timeline, and she's one of the persons who gets angry when losing someone. Shocking surprise, I know.  
Regarding the girls' nights, they fast do other stuff together than watching movies, in case I wasn't able to show that properly. We know that Rory is the one loving films, especially old ones, not Amy, so it is more something Tella and Rory do together. And I have to mention, he is not Tellas personal therapist, even if Rory feels like that. She just wants to rant sometimes and have somebody listen who share her reservations regarding the Doctor. And Rory does.  
To those who wonder, Amy is jealous of Tella being able to remeber Rory, just saying.  
Other than that, the episodes are basically the normal ones storywise.

Anyway, thanks to Jade Cielo for favoring and following and everybody else for staying with me.  
Please take the time to drop a review, I'd love to hear what you say. Expect the next update around the end of may, I'm writing my Bachelor Thesis, remeber ;-)

Greetings

alkatie

28022018


	13. and a Home

**Disclaimer:** I'm from earth and just a human. So no, I don't own.

 **Home**

(Interlude S.5 ep.9 & 10)

 _The definiton of that word in gallifreyan differs painfully from the human view of it._

-o0O0o-

Lady Storyteller was the keeper of many secrets.  
Not only because of her (even for a Timelord) extremely good developed ability to see what is, could be and could have been in the movement of the Timelines, or … this other thing. Because of the Stories she had seen, the Stories she had told and had been told by strangers, friends, students, family and life. The Doctor may have known things in the universe to painful, terrifying and dangerous to even think of, but she had a load of them, too. And they were as important and big in their own way.

And the most painful, biggest secret (even bigger than _her_ ) wasn't even one, until she realized on her first trip with the Doctor, it was.

She didn't hate adventures.  
Yes, she preferred the calmness of a library to running down corridors with a angry mob on her heels, but being able to see all the different species, all those Stories on a interplanetary Market?  
She was curious, even more curious than the doctor. Hah! The marks on her right hand, the thing she was, proofed she was the most curious Timelord ever existing! But the fear had made her keeping her head down, keeping the mask of a normal, detached, strict and orderly, a proper Timelady, stilling her curiosity only through the knowledge and books of Gallifrey, surprising the desire for _more_ until it was gone. Until the mask she wore became her face. So no, she didn't enjoy, but either hate adventures.

She hated Planets.

She hated stepping out of his Type 40 and stumbling over the wrong gravity.  
As if the slight disharmony in the music of the spheres wasn't enough to remember her constantly of her loss. That missing tune, the song of Home. And the ting bothering her most was how easily it's overheard, how easy one missed the gap not knowing where to look for. How little and unimportant they actually had been and still so impactful.  
And a Timelord always listened to that tune, which left her searching and hurting every breath she took, longing for home.

Home.

Home is the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household, the district or country where one was born or has settled on a long-term basis. Shortly :A place where something flourishes, is most typically found, or from which it originates. For a Timelord there is another componente to that definition.

There was a reason, why for the Timelords Gallifrey meant home. Not the place, the planet. It was an unspoken truth, so obvious to everyone, there _was_ no reason to speak about it.  
It was the only difference between her motherthounge and the terrestrial- human- languages she valued.  
Because when Roderick and Amelia asked her for stories from home, she used the differing definitions as a loophole to tell from silver leaved forests and an orange sky. From the sight of Pazithi Gallifreya and Lunasi over the snowy tops of the Solitude Mountains. From young children running carefree over meadows of read grass and old, dignified Timelords carefully watching over them, calling them to behave. From whispering students in the high-ceiling halls of the Academy and the greeting nods to acquaintances while passing by in the Panopticum.

They were mentally not able to understand it otherwise.  
No other living being except one was. And out of her many secrets, this was there most painful.

Every time she stepped out of his TARDIS, took a moment to breath in and adjust to the turning of this new/alien/different… wrong planet before she followed him and his 'companions' in another adventure he swayed them all to, he never noticed.  
Not a word, not a glance, not even a spark of recognition for her behavior.

Oh, she could feel his senses, stretching and brushing the gravity of that planet but was he still able to feel the difference? Or did his countless wandering, hopping from world to world dulled them and therefore made it this easy for him to destroy… Stop. She never allowed these thoughts to finish, always banished them back behind the dark wall she kept _her_ in her mid. She respected him too much for this. And Timelords never talked about it, after all.

And then, one day after Amelia went to sleep, he punched in some coordinates, but didn't rush down immediately after the drop of the landing-drum. Instead he grinned and gestured for her to open the door.  
She rose a suspicious eyebrow. "What is so dangerous out there for you sending me fist?"  
It was always amusing how easy you could rile him (although she kept it for herself). This time however, he just spluttered once and threw her a look. It wasn't funny. Not after what just happened to Roderick.

"Home", he said, before realizing his mistake as she froze.  
"New! New home. Your new home, I mean. Different Planet, I know you think I'm crazy enough to go back there, but of cause I'm not. And there's the time-lock…"  
He realized his ramblings and stopped, wringing his hands. He scratched his head, before he directed her again to the door with an inviting sway of his arm. "Please."  
His eyes sparkled with real excitement and his smile was genuine, even a bit.. nervous. It was important for him. Well, so it may be.

She rose from her chair, came down the stairs from the gallery and stopped before the door. She suppressed the nagging, little hope deep down inside a tiny corner of her left heart, but could not help herself to avoid throwing a doubtful glance at the Doctor, who joined her. He urged her silently forward and so she opened the door.

And even while expecting it, it still hurt to see the wide landscape of soft hills stretching to the horizon with this strange green grass under a surprisingly bright sky for its alien cerulean color.  
The air smelled salty and somewhere an ocean roared while sea- birds flied screaming overhead. She stuck her head out and blinked up to the sun.  
Sun's, a twin sun system, but so far away, they merged to one on the first impression.  
She searched for careful words when he suddenly pushed her and in order to catch herself she stepped outside.

… And breathed in sync with the planet.

When her people danced, they danced in this pace to include their Gallifrey in their festivities.  
Every ritual they hold was cycled with these steps to symbolize the harmony between them and their home.  
This was the turning comforting and steadying her steps while walking through the academy with her head down, trying to be invisible to the other students. And also about two hundred years later, as she prideful marched through the same halls as the new headmaster of her academy, hiding her nervousness as the other teachers and students bowed to her.  
This was the tune lulling her to sleep in every regeneration until the last.  
This was the turning she concentrated on to find peace for her mind in times she still discovered her abilities, whenever the humming of the spheres and the stories of the Multiverses and Time got too much.

Except, the sky was blue.

It was gruesome and so wonderful at the same time.

"Dandelecan IV," the Doctor said, leaning in the doorframe.  
The infamous theory of the twin-world.  
Sol III has Mondas.  
The constellation of Kastoborus has the Dandelecan-Systems, although the live forms of the seven habitable planets differ.  
They still sang the same tune, moved in the same speed through the universe, had the same gravity and size. Only this mattered.  
Once the Timelords were offended by the thought of a planetary system so similar to their own as different as their species were, but in the Time-war they shamelessly used this multiple times as a bait or even double which got destroyed instead of home.  
Hold that thought.

"Wasn't it destroyed in the Time-war?"  
The Doctor chuckled. "Not in this timeline."  
"Oh. Right."  
And she ignored the facets of what will and could have been in the corners of her eyes and grounded herself fin the familiar feeling of the planets turn.  
And for the first time in ages she could see properly, standing in the here and now of this one timeline.  
Home.

She cleared her voice. "I'm sorry."  
He shrugged. "Happens. Even I have problems to sometimes stay in the same Timeline, can't imagine how hard it has to be for…"  
"That's not what I meant," she interrupted. "Apparently, you're not the only one forgetting you're not alone."  
The Timelords don't speak about it.  
"Well. You always complained about traveling in the TARDIS, so I thought you'll comfortable with a place you can return to or stay if you're not in the mood for other planets."  
Planets.  
So he did noticed after all and understood.

She bowed. "Thank you, Milord Doctor."  
He beamed. "So ya like it?"  
"It is considerable."

He laughed and shook his head. "Oh Tella. You haven't even seen the best. See that hill?"  
He pointed somewhere behind her. "Behind it, there's a little cottage. Right at the sea, just like you told about your family's house back there."  
She allowed herself to show that sad but grateful smile. "Thank you."  
He straightened his bow-tie "Well, I'm the Doctor, that's what I do."

Why, why was he so afraid of being serious.  
Because here and now, this planet and her were the reminder of what he had done.  
So she grinned and stretched out her hand in the traditional gallifeyan gesture of the invitation to join her.  
"You may?"  
And this time, it was him taking a break as he stepped into the soft green grass, before linking arms with her and strolling up the hillside.

-o0O0o-

 _Do you know like we were saying about the Earth revolving? It's like when you were a kid.  
The first time they tell you the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still.  
I can feel it.  
The turn of the Earth.  
The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling round the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour,  
and I can feel it.  
We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go….. _

_That's who I am._

-Ninth Doctor, _Rose_

* * *

 **AN:** Hey!

Here I am, typing another Oneshot instead of learning for my exams. I hope it's worth it.

It was the ninth Doctors monologue about how he's able to feel the spinning of the earth that kept me watching the show, I didn't and still don't like the episode _Rose_. But this few sentences kept me watching, paired with the scene where he manipulates time in _Worlds End_ , and here I am.

I think all Timelords have the ability to feel the movements of the universe. So they must develop a special bond to their origin planet. In fact I have the theory, its one of the reasons they actually hate to leave Gallifrey. In my heads it feels like entering a ship. You are able to walk and live there normal, but it feels different than walking on dry land. For somebody this deeply connected and suddenly loosing this? No fun and one of the real reasons why Tella is this angry at the Doctor. She can't understand how somebody with the similar connection still can destroy the planet. So him bringing her to a planet with a similar feeling, is a big step of earning her forgiveness.

And writing Lady Storyteller is a pain.

Thanks to Chimmicherry for following that collection.  
As always read and review and please tell me if you like the way this is going.

Greetings  
Alkatie

29012017


	14. Overcoming Guilt

**Disclaimer:** Who owns this show? Not me, for sure.

 **Overcoming Guilt…**

(After S6 ep3)

-o0O0o-

 _The time war has no beginning and no end but is always over. And it has consequences. Dire consequences, in the nearly impossible case you ever stumble upon them.  
Unfortunately the TARDIS does._

-o0O0o-

"Couldn't you just have listened to her, once," Rory whispered, starring out of the window at the barren landscape and the bird hanging motionless in the air.  
"She said it was a bad idea. She always says that," the Doctor defended himself half-heartily.  
"No, she doesn't," Amy corrected with a glare. Never as frantically as that.  
If Tella tried to stop you with alarmed eyes and raised, higher voice, you should listen to her regardless of how uncaring her words may seem. But then, the Doctor barely spent time with her to know that.  
And now, there was a really high possibility that she was dead.

The beginning had been completely harmless, as always. The Doctor told them about that awesome place, this time a constellation of systems and planets so near to each you could make their surfaces with your eyes, and they decided to go there.  
On the way they randomly decided to fetch Tella, by simply materialising the TARDIS around her and flying off again. After the typical lecture and a lot of questioning how Rory even was alive, she had agreed to partake in at least one adventure but tried to stop them the second she realised where they were headed.  
And they understood as soon as they stepped out of the TARDIS why.

Instead of a flush living landscape with sixteen colourful planets hanging in the sky all around them, there was only a wasteland with a huge crashed ship in the distance. Although the sky was still something to behold. Four Planets with a fifth scattered in a half and in between them a gigantic black hole that slowly consumed them, darkening the light into a constant twilight.  
They all agreed with Tella to leave as soon as possible but still enjoyed the sight for five more minutes from the top of a hill in a few foot distance from the TARDIS. A mistake, because when they returned they found the TARDIS surrounded by the locals trying to break in it.

When they spotted the four travellers, they instantly arrested them for some unknown crime, loaded the TARDIS on a barrow and started to return to their settlement. Apparently the only city left.  
They were moving fast and loosing no time, leaving everybody behind who wasn't able to keep up and even when Tella somehow managed to escape, they didn't go after her. They only laughed and continued. When the Doctor asked them about it, they answered that a time storm was due within two hours.

They learned what exactly that was already imprisoned in a cell in the heavily fortified city made of silver shining metal and glass. A faint reminder of what once was. The black hole in the sky seemed to erupt a visible shockwave that crashed on the planet and swept over the surface in an invisible storm and the Doctor screamed surprised and stumbled, barely catching himself on the wall.  
A time shift, he had explained later. A literal shift of time, influencing everything around them and moving objects and sentients within time completely randomly. The city had a shield against it, but everything else out there not.  
Tella could be out there, limbs forever frozen in time but not her head or body, trapped but conscious and forced to stand still and dying, leaving a bizarre figure part skeleton part conserved flesh. Just like the countless animals they had seen on their journey, and the remains before the city of the people who weren't able to reach the shield in time.

The Doctor burrowed his face in his fists, hitting his nose whit them. "I'm sorry."  
He took a breath and stopped, his eyes still squeezed shut. "I'll fix this."

"How," both humans asked simultaneously, both desperate and annoyed.

"I don't know," he confessed. " Yet. But she's alive. I can feel her. Here." He tapped against this temple. "We'll find a way. I'll promise you, we'll find a way. Together."

Rory starred at the motionless bird again, and Amy nodded silently. There wasn't any other acceptable option.

-o0O0o-

The screeching ended and the lights died own into near complete darkness. The Storyteller slowly rose her head and cautiously uncovered her ears, but yes, there was the entrance. She let go of the breath she was holding and cautiously stepped to the console, stroking over it. No response. It was done.  
She hated killing a TARDIS. But this was a matter of survival.

Exhausted she sunk down on a chair next to the console, hugging the outer layer of her dress she had taken of immediately after her escape. The Doctor didn't even gave her the time for a proper wardrobe change when he had swept her away from her way home. And now she was running around in high heeled button up boots and a white satin under dress, her beautiful summer hat and the heavy outer layer of her dress made of Bordeaux velvet stuffed in a ball and secured with a wire she had found.

Naar was one of the 74 lost systems. The whole quadrant was poisoned with unstable time.  
She honestly thought he knew.  
The time war had no ending and no beginning and it was always over. But it had consequences. But, there was the problem again, the Doctor never thought about consequences. No.

She forced herself to stop that thought and closed her eyes.  
Her temper had reigns of steel, she was a teacher after all. Always soft spoken, polite , yet resolute. She listened and understood. Moreover she was a master of words, subtlety and easily urging peoples thoughts in new and different directions so they figured out things for themselves. That's what her students always complimented her with, she looked people in the eyes with respect, helped them but always let them ultimately figure things out of their own.  
She was a storyteller, a liar and manipulator if she choose to, she always knew what to say in a situation, both the worst and the best words to determine a specific outcome.  
She could calm a frantic Amy ,rile up a moody Rory so he started laughing at the absurdness of the situation. Alaya, that unfortunate Silurian, had been one of her easiest exercises, even if the most regrettable. Signora Calivierri, finished with three sentences.  
She had not lost that well honed skill, as she had first thought with the Doctors particular way of getting under her skin and turning her into a screeching Banshee, constantly arguing and behaving like a barbaric, violently lashing out and not being able to get one person to listen to her.  
She had been scared of herself those first weeks.  
This was her new self the council had punished her with after the forced regeneration?

Until it turned out that it just was the Doctor.  
She wasn't able to figure him out. Which words did she need to say so he would listen?  
His constant stunts and unrelaylibility were only things that angered her on the outside, the real annoyance was that she couldn't reach him. She wouldn't sit here in this dead TARDIS, if she just had found the exact words to describe what awaited them here on Naar. She couldn't use the words dangerous, life threatening, trouble and anything alike, because that only caused him to jump straight ahead into it.  
She failed to keep them save and warn them because she couldn't find the words. Which explained her short temper with everything about the Doctor, because she actually was angry about herself. She always has had no patience for her own underperformance. Which was why she needed to get out of here.

She stood up and slung the wire with her useless clothes around her shoulder like a messenger bag. She took one of the scraps lying around and used it to crack the doors open enough so she could squeeze herself through it and shielded her eyes against the sudden light.

The TARDIS had turned sideward's in its crash, so she found herself standing about ninety feet over the ground overseeing a wide area of endless wasteland. This planet never had been a paradise, but it had been alive with a wide array of creatures, living on the wide grasslands.  
Now there was only barren dirt and the gigantic frames of crashed TARDISes.

The Battles in the Moquay sector and its 74 systems had been bad, yes. But she had never realised they had lost this many.  
Her hand started shaking and she busied herself with mapping a route she could use to climb down the husk.  
No wonder the locals had a grudge against the Time Lords. There were at least five in this area, and probably all still alive and thus death-traps, just like the one she was standing on now.  
She knew who coordinated the retreat of the gallifreyan forces, and that person would never left a living, active TARDIS behind.  
Not because one could steal the technology, which was impossible, by the way.  
No, for the reason it was impossible to steal that technology.  
A grounded active TARDIS with a severed connection the eye of harmony went mad after a certain amount of time. They trapped passengers inside and consumed their minds in an attempt to force them to fly them, some even went bitter and hateful and let anybody stepping into them die a painful starving death in their thirst for revenge.  
So why?

The Storyteller started to climb down the hull, sliding over the plates carefully so she wouldn't hurt herself.  
She had been lucky to find the shields still intact the moment she realised what happened in the sky and didn't even twice think about jumping into the old ship. Fortunately that one only wanted to get away, so she had been able to trick what was left of the Conscious into showing her the console room where the Storyteller instantly killed her as soon as the temporal shift had been over.

She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She needed the protective shields of an active TARDIS to survive the time shifts, which was why she was on route to the next one, but she had to kill every singe one ass soon as she would step into them to not be caught or killed by them.  
She needed a plan.

The settlement was about four hours away, she had taken the exact opposite direction. Plus she could see the typical gleam of a city in this district on Naar in the distance from her higher position. All she needed was to figure out the signs of an incoming shift or perhaps even a rhythm.  
The people arresting them had seemed to know another eruption had been due, so there should be some sort of pattern. And maybe even some algorithm to predict them. This would help her to manage her resources by knowing when she had to retreat into a TARDIS and the time she could roam free.  
And if she was able to reach the settlement to free her acquaintances.

She slipped and fell a few feet , before she was able to catch herself on an outstanding metal rod.  
Those shoes were totally useless. But better than being barefoot in this terrain.  
She took a few breaths to calm down her frantic heartbeats and then felt with the tips of her shoes if she could reach the overhang beneath her without falling too deep. She could, so she let go and took a short break to find her balance, before she continued climbing down.  
She glanced at the sky and shook her head.  
"With all respect but throwing that detonator into that time-disruptor the Daleks had placed here, was not your brightest idea, dear cousin."

-o0O0o-

He wouldn't stop searching.  
Amy silently followed the Doctor patting and touching every inch of their cell for what felt about ten minutes. At least it seemed like he had hatched some kind of plan instead of only running up and down like a beheaded chicken. He laid flat on the floor, peering into a crack looking a lot like a mousehole, and started shuffling around in it with two fingers. For Rory that was enough. "What are you doing?"

"I didn't always use my screwdriver. I'm way better without it. Always have been on my best when the situation is the worst. I still want it back. Eh, nothing. Well, then. Let's talk."  
He straightened his bowtie, then marched up to the bars and knocked against them. "Hello? Anybody home? You're not sleeping aren't you? Guards aren't supposed to sleep, otherwise they can't be guarding and then you can't call them Guards anymore."  
Rory was as dumbstruck as her. "Doctor?"  
He threw them smirk and simply continued.  
"Hello?"

"And what do you think you're doing, Time Lord!"  
Those last words were definitely an insult.  
"Don't talk to him," hissed another voice.  
"Oh, just a few questions, and I'll shut up. Promise. Cross my hearts and hope to die." The Doctor did the gesture accompanying the words, then waited.

It was silent for a few seconds, then a man in a guards uniform turned around the corner and leant against the opposite wall of the bars.  
"What do you want," he repeated.  
"Ha, look, talking always works," the Doctor grinned to Amy and Rory, then stepped closer to the bars.

"Hello. Hi, I didn't not came to notice the nice town outside. Don't you happen to know it's name, guarding it and all."  
The guards eyes narrowed. "No."  
"Oouf. Okay. A very dedicated man then. That's good. Surely you can tell me, why we are here? What crime did we do? It's thrilling to be a ciminall but I normaly a least know why I'm locked up."  
"Timetravel."  
"I wasn't aware of that. Because of the... these "Time storms", right?"  
"Partly."  
"I see. Sorry 'bout that. Won't happen again."  
"I'm sure of that."  
The Doctor laughted at that in a forced manner, and the Guard smiled back. "Hahaha, nice chap. God humor. How can we get out of here?"  
The Guard laughed even more, then guaffed. "Why. You are executed with the next time storm, anyway."

"What!"  
"What about a trial? I want to know at least why we need to die. It's minimal courtesy." So, Tella did have an influence on him.  
"Courtesy," the guard repeated mockingly. "Why. Shouldn't it be courtesy, to at least inform us before creating an unstable black hole right above our heads and leave us to die. We just return the favour. See it as another casualty of your war."

Wait, the Time Lords did that?

The Doctor gulped. "It wasn't me. Look, I'm the Doctor. I'm on your side. I stopped them. The War is over."  
The Guard laughed. "If that is true, it's even worse. Well. Luck and precious time then, you going to need it." He split on the floor and left around the corner.  
"What," the Doctor furrowed his brows in deep thoughts.  
"Doctor," Amy asked carefully, but he didn't answer.

-o0O0o-

The Storyteller let her bundle slip from her left shoulder and sunk down on the ground.  
It hurt so much. She definitely injured her right one when she caught herself after that slip on the hull. Those shoes didn't help either.  
The constant twilight made it difficult to see hidden scraps of metal and other items in the barren sand and she had more than once stumbled and fell or one of her heels had caught itself in the remains of some small animal half frozen in time, half rotten and twisted her ankles. Not to mention the twisted figures of the unfortunate caught in the time shifts she avoided as soon as she could distinguish them from the silhouettes of a crippled and twisted plant.  
Once there was a full cart with a family and their horse. She had run to them in the intention of asking for a ride. Only mere feet away she had realized, they were frozen in a hurry and skeletons from the belly down, as if a wave of acid had gnawed it away.

Nevertheless, she had done it and reached another TARDIS before the Hole erupted again. Unfortunately she didn't feel any presence in her mind when she came into reach. But she had to investigate that later.  
She careful opened her bundle and looked though the items she had collected in the other TARDIS, before she had killed her. Since when did she called the CCT's that? The Storyteller pushed that thought aside and as well as the energy crystal and the time ring, before she found what she needed.

This TARDIS did land, not crash. The inner dimensions started to bleed though and so the ship looked a lot bigger than originally, but the entrance was clearly where it needed to be. There were also weft craters around it, filled with muddy water so it had definitely stood here when the Daleks had attached the systems. But no Dalek-remains. Figured, they never reached the ground, as far as she remembered.

She rose and hobbled the few feet to one of the ponds and scanned the surface with the Molecule magnet. It needed a few seconds, then it showed the results and she silently nodded. Nothing inside she couldn't get rid with it. She programmed a capsule, which the device promptly generated and threw it into the water. It instantly attracted all the substances she programmed in while sinking to the ground and left behind clear, drinkable water for the next hour.  
Then it would release and the ecosystem could return to its previous state.  
The Storyteller bent forward and dipped her hands into the water, just to meet the terrified eyes of a gallifeyan solider reaching up to her for help.

…

…her help…

...why do they always ask for her help…

...

...

...her taking the shortest way possible over the remains to the tell-tale glow of a starting regeneration, ignoring the hands and apendaxes reaching out, the cries and moans of the few survivors. She is not here to save them...

...her knife slicing the throat of a regenerating solider too young, knowing he will burn out and giving him the salvation of a quicker death...

...the burning sky in that familiar orange colour of her home but unnatural to this planet and the ashes burning her lungs...

...the whispers, following her everywhere from the Panopticum in the Citadel to the barracks of the soldiers on an allied planet and out into the battlefield. Kelliox and her crew being the only ones nodding to her and smiling...

...her stepping over countless bodies withered and twisted in their last seconds alive. So many species, she had not been aware there were so many species involved right now. Curiously she starts counting how many she finds...

...the screeching of her TTC when she forced her down another time on the exact spot in time, barely a hand span away from her last attempt, breaking time apart into one single timeline of salvation...

...her gaze wandering curiously over the wastelands, wondering which weapon had caused this. There was no difference in the consequences between one of the Dalek's or one of themselves, there was always just a huge pile of bodies and a barren landscape left, full of ashes and lights of regenerating Time Lords...

...Kelliox grasping for air with her burned throat, bloody splitting out of her lips and unable to induce a regeneration and that is unacceptable...

...a Solider breaking out in tears by the sound of her voice, but this time in pure relief, while he mindlessly muttered his thanks. He knew exactly who she is...

...Rassilon's burning ice blue eyes and Kelliox comforting mental presence calming her down...

Her ragged breathing got faster and she curled into a ball, biting the palm of her hand so the pain can shoo the memories away but those eyes and that calm voice growling words full of venom...

...Kelliox...

Kelliox. She concentrated on the image of her partner, let the long memorized lines of those familiar features of every single regeneration rise before her inner eye in all detail. The she continued with her cousins, her own generation and the following ones. First the house of her birth, then the one of her choice, Kelliox's home. In shambles and full of bodies and blood...  
... the familiar faces all disfigured, crippled and ...  
...gone...

They are all gone. Fist the Daleks, and then the Doctor had killed them, erased Gallifrey and she is slipping...  
The Doctor.

That annoying Timetodd and his stupid screwdriver. Jumping around and waving his hands in excitement while showing of his knowledge on a subject. Amy laughing at him and even Rory grins. His concerned face when she had lost herself in his TTC's library and him banning her from it for her own good.  
Amy jumping into that lake and splashing her full of water even if she knew the Storyteller hated water. Her anger over getting picked up of nowhere from her way home by materializing around her dissolving in an instant, because there was Rory next to Amy at the console and how was he even alive?  
Home, her little hut at the cliffs on that island on Dandelicon IV.  
Her mind wandered to the little village made of boats floating under the cliffs, of her friends and students and even those annoying merchants.

Lady Storyteller took some deep breaths and slowly unfurled herself. The calming trick Kelliox and her developed was still working, just the faces she had to enumerate had changed.  
She sat down cross legged, back straight and closed her eyes. Then she listed of the names of the persons she came to value in the last few years, the persons she needed to stay sane for, repeating them over and over while conjuring their features to their mind. And yes, the Doctor was one of them.  
Slowly the buzzing in her head stopped and she returned to normal breathing. She repeated the list another time before she felt stable enough to face the reality of what became of Naar.  
She slowly stood up and hissed, the injury of her shoulder forgotten over her episode.

Knowing this time what awaited her she cautiously stepped forward and indeed, the water still was clear, the frightened eyes of the solider still starring up to her. She concentrated, then furrowed her brow and checked again on her fob watch. It really had been eighteen minutes. She scanned the water with the magnet once more, but it was clean. The magnet was able to detect but not handle a poisoning by corpses. The body was partly decomposed, but apparently another time shift had stopped the progress entirely so the water was save.  
She took a few steps to the left away from the Solider, before she dunked her hands in and cleaned them. Then she did the same with her face and her neck. It was refreshing and calming and she eagerly took ships from her cupped hands, not realizing how thirsty she had been. Then she dunked in her Handkerchief and slid her hand under her dress to cool her hurt shoulder.  
Her eyes followed the lines of the massive ship rising above her and she carefully placed one hand on the shell. Nothing.  
Wait. She narrowed her eyes and took of her love before feeling the surface again. It was whole, not a single scratch as far as she knew. So even if this TTC was dead, it would still provide shelter from the shifts. Not the optimal one as a shield would but the chances of survival would be a lot higher. She looked back to the pond then again up to the entrance. She needed treatment for her shoulder and here, she would certainly find medical supplies and could fully concentrate on healing without having to deal with a mad TTC in addition. Reaching a decision, she gathered her things and slowly made her way up to the entrance, carefully not to slip again.

The Door was closed, as expected. She placed her fingers on it, ready to search for a weakness to open it and instantly flinched back when it slid open.  
A string of curses flashed in her mind, so it was at least alive. She contemplated to just turn around and leave.  
Then, in the dim glow inside something moved.  
She narrowed her eyes. It could been an illusion to lure her in.  
Still, she took a step close and leaned forward to glimpse inside. It was the familiar outline of an short hallway leading up to a door to the control room in the distance. To the left was another smaller corridor leading into the insides of the ship. In the middle was a small fireplace on the wall a pile of clothes and blankets and a pile of bowls and other indefinable objects. A camp.  
"Hello," she asked. Nothing.  
Carefully she stepped over the threshold, constantly aware that this could be a trap. The lights turned on and the door closed behind her, but it was welcoming, not threatening. And there still weren't any vibrations indicating the machine was active.  
Which left only one conclusion: it was powered down, only running the life systems. But how was that possible, everybody…  
"I've awaited you," smiled Kelliox behind her.

-o0O0o-

"This is Kelliox, House Beningmeer of the Drome of Gallifrey, Chief Mechanic on the Akythior. This is not an official message, I repeat: this is not an official message, but and the survival of the population of Naar depends on it.  
Due to the increase of Dalek activity in this sector our fleet is forced to retreat to a more secured position to repel the theat. The high council permitted the use of time weapons, which are currently readied and will be used within the next 75 minutes."

The Hologram flickered and the man needed a second to balance, then growled at somebody outside the recording range. "Get those two modules online, immediately. I don't care. We will blasted away otherwise so, get it to work!"

He turned back, sweeping through his short brown curls and continued. "According to my calculations there's a sixty percent chance of creating a highly concentrated temporal nexus if we proceed as ordered, which will lead to the creation of an instable black hole right above Naar. The command is aware of those possibilities and promised to install counter measures but as of now any order in this regard has reached the technical department. I fear it never will. I programmed a defensive sequence, which will be delivered with this message…. No, it must target the chameleon arch and the generator's control", he hissed at another unseen person. Then his dark eyes flickered back.  
"This is all we can do for now. I know the people of Naar, they are strong and valuable allies. Proceed as instructed. "

His eyes flickered to something outside. "Activate TTC Protocol Kryos-15-O-7-9."

The hologram shook anew and this time he needed a few more seconds to come back into view.  
"It's bad, I know, but this is barely temporally, nothing is lost. When this war is over, we will come for you. Remember, Gallifrey rises! Kelliox out."

The blue hologram projected over the city gates disappeared and all the city lights dimmed down and slowly flickered out.  
"Charming evening ritual," the Doctor commented.

"And, now we know why they hate you lot," added Amy, but he didn't seem to listen. Instead his fingers tipped on the bars, clearly thinking. Then he whirled around and declared: "Something's wrong."  
"Sorry," Rory asked.

The Doctor started pacing with wild gestures.  
"The message. Something's wrong. It doesn't fit. I don't know what, but something's off about it. And I know it will help us to get free. What's wrong, what's wrong!"  
"That he programmed a defense and it didn't work?"Amy suggested. There was so much wrong with that message, but knowing the disregard for other species Tella had at the beginning she choose that detail.  
"Hm? No. That's Kelliox Beningmeer, best mechanic on Gallifrey since the Triumvirate. His work is perfection. His defense is probably the reason why Naar isn't in that hole already."

Rory frowned. "Kelliox, as in Tella's Kelliox?"  
The Doctor stopped, then turned around with big eyes. "Oh. Yes, of course. There's never the same name twice. I didn't knew he was married. Pity, he's a genius."  
He stared out of the window, then his eyes grew big. He turned to Amy and pointed with his fingers playfully at her, seemingly unable to find words in his joy.  
"What. You got it?"  
"No. But, Vaao!"  
"Wow?"  
"Vaao," he corrected and pointed at one of the bigger planets in the sky. "That one. Vaao."  
"And?"

"It's an unstable black hole. And this one moves. The Planet, not the hole, although that's moving as well… never mind. Vaao is the reason for the instability. I can calculate when the next time shift is going to happen."  
"Really? When."  
He squeezed his left eye shut, and posed his hands in a weird way , mumbling to himself, then grinned. "About nine days."  
"So in nine days, we're gonna die," Rory summed up.  
The Doctor sobered instantly and made a face. "If I can't find out what Kelliox tries to say? Yes."

-o0O0o-

To be continued...

* * *

 **AN:**

I know I said ony one more update and then we're in the normal sequence again, but this chapter turned out way to long so, I split it. Yes, even my chapters can be too long, I always try to stay under 10k words per chapter.

What' it with Tella and her shoes? I have no idea.

Naar is a messed up planet and I hope I could capture a bit of it, without getting to explicit.  
I know, there's no such a thing as an unstable black hole (the exact explanaition what it's supposed to be will follow in the second part), but as I already said in "Leviathan", its Doctor Who, so what's science?

By the way, why didn't anybody tell me I uploaded chapter 5 twice? Anyway, I fixed it now.

Thanks to Queen of the Rings and mishuu for following, Akahana Yukiko for favouring and Tali Alioquin for both.  
You guys are all awesome.

Greetings  
alkatie

KD28012019


	15. Remembering

**Disclaimer:** I don't even own the DVD's, just a good friend with patience and a Netflix-account.

 **Remembering  
**

(Somewhere between S6 ep4/5)

 _The Lady Storyteller has a habbit of living in the past. Remebering something precious is not always bad._

-o0O0o-

Amy and Rory stumbled through the door, closed it behind them and threw themselves against it. "Doctor!"  
"Yes, yes, yes, one second, there we go!"  
Sighing in utter relief as the Timerotor started moving up and down, they collapsed to the floor.  
"Phew," the young-old man ran his fingers through his hair, before straightening his Bowtie. "Well, that was interesting."  
"If you say so."  
Lady Storyteller's face was blank as ever as she fumbled with a key and the box, for which they just went through hell. Literally.  
Amy pulled her husband up, before they climbed the stairs to the control. "So... what is it."

The Timelady, dressed in a now singed, simple but stylish anthracite blazer, skirt and fitting heels, raised one finger and continued fiddling. But the gleaming in her almond-shapes eyes told them, it was worth everything they had gone through. Amy got goosebumps. It was so rare to see the stone-faced women like that. Just what was in this box!  
With a silent 'clack', the cover jumped open. Tella opened it carefully and smiled fondly at the content, pure love and joy in her eyes. Then she turned it, so the other three could catch a glimpse at well.

It wasn't anything Amy expected at all, even if the box was surprisingly bigger on the inside. Just a big metal egg, shaping itself at one end into a long slender hook. It wasn't even pretty with it's color of old chopper and all the dents and bumps in it.  
But the Doctor apparently knew exactly what it was. "A Harp. A Harp! We just broke into the temple of one of the oldest, most vengeful empire of the Alpha-Centauri Galaxy, blackmailed the 6th Sonteran Army, brought down a century old dynasty and got ourselves banished from totally twelve planets, just for an old, dumpy Duodecaenharmonican E-Harp?"  
"Exactly," answered she nonchalantly, completely ignoring his outburst. She smiled at Amy and Rory and stroked over the metallic surface. "Isn't she beautiful."  
The Doctor gasped helpless. "Tella! "

Lady Storyteller snapped the box closed and steppled her hands on it, with the same dignified expression as ever. "You behave like a freshly loomed Timetodd. Don't tell me we both didn't get what we intended to with this little trip; it was an adventure after all. And again, the Name is Lady Storyteller. Now, Amelia, Roderick, would you two please help me to bring this into the libary? Doctor, I also need some cloth for polishing and some strings. Do you have strings in the workshop?"  
"How should I know? Just ask her."  
"I am asking you."  
The Doctor sank onto the lonely chair by the stairs and rubbed his forehead in defeat. "Whatever! Probably?"  
Tella claped her hand. "Splendid. I will fetch the needed tools. Do you want to help me bringing this deary back to it's former beauty?"  
Rory and Amy changed a look. "Ehm, okay? Why not?"  
"Wonderfull!" They never had seen her this happy before."Bring her to the libary and I will show you how. Maybe I will be even able to teach you how to play!"  
She disapeared down into the depths of the ship.

Amy grinned. Even if Tella hated adventures, the rare occasions she joined them her sole presence in the TARDIS always was one. And all four of them knew both timelords enjoyed their time together, despite their constant bickering.

"So… a Harp," piped Rory carefully up.  
The Doctor sighed, looking every single one of his years. "Yes. An old gallifeyan Harp. I should've expected something like that. It's Tella after all. This woman is just stuck in the past, with that old planet. If she asks you to help her finding a rare valuable artifact, it's always gallifeyan. Even if it's not this valuable at all, it's a harp for Rassilons sake. The most played instrument of the Timelords, it's basically the same as a recorder for the kids on earth. Everybody learned to play it but the fewest continued after the basics. It's a really complex Instrument. So maybe it is not like a recorder. More like a piano. Ah, no, no, just forget that."  
"So… everybody tried to learn it, but nobody can actually play it," concluded Rory.  
"No!" The Doctor jumped up. "Everybody can play it, but just a few can do it properly."  
Rory shook his head. "I don't get it."  
"Me neither, but that's ok." Amy padded her husband's shoulder.  
The Doctor rubbed his hands. "Well maybe it is like a piano. Our Music is slightly different, you see, we don't have just one melody in a piece of music like you humans, we have much more different ones. And you are really able to play a harp, if you can play more than one melody and its backrounds. On the one we have found, a true master was able to play 12 different Melodies. Like the difference between being able to play with one finger, one hand, two hands and two hands and pedals on the Piano. If you want to see it like that."

This was another thing Amy liked when Tella was on the TARDIS. They actually learned something about the Doctor or his home. Maybe he talked about it because Tella (as her name indicated) loved to tell Stories of all kind, especially ones about Gallifrey and the most of them were truly embarrassing for him, or maybe because of the relief of another person beeing able to _understand_. She didn't know and she didn't care.  
"Okay," Rory shrugged.  
Amy sighted. "Look, this was a surprise, yes. But I've never seen ther that happy before. She nearly had laughted. I say we play long, and it sounds fun. And it seems she actualy knows how to play it. I always wanted to hear alien-music."  
"It is not alien," the Doctor protested.  
"Yes, yes it is."

-o0O0-

The next hour they spend in the libary. The Doctor showed his disaprovment by sitting ona couch reading a book and pretending to ignore them. The two humans and the Timelady on the other hand polished the metallic surface while Tella told them of a concert she once visited or showed them how to handle the instrument corectly. One had to be very carefull with the clothes because those strange bumbs and dents actualy were part of the instrument and whenever somebody rubbed over them they gave a little sound, starting to get clearer and louder with every ounce of rust and dust leaving the resonance body.  
And slowly fine golden circular engravings staring to get visble on a plished chopper surface.  
It truly was a beautifull Instrument, even more so when Tella finaly added the golden Strings. Now it realy looked like a harp and nobody definetly was able to mistake it for something else.

Tella carefully plucked every string then nodded in aproval. Then she started playing.  
It was wrong to call the sound beautiful, but it definitely was enjoyable in it's own strange way, even in being sometimes a little disharmonic.  
Amy's eyes found the Doctor's, who was completely frozen.  
To be honest, it was breathtaking and now they knew why it was so difficult for the Doctor to describe how to play this Instrument.  
The Timelady's hands glided in a very untypical way about the strings, not in the middle as you expected it but down, just a few inches above the fastenings, so her palms could stroke the en- and decrases, which created these ethereal, humming sounds. All while she was singing in a strange alien language with any words, filling the whole Library with an thick web sof lulling, comfortable sounds. Even as she finished, it needed a long time for them to actually die down.

"Wow," whispered Amy , not sure to disturb the few sounds still lingering between the bookshelves.  
Tella smiled genuinely. "Thank you."  
The Doctor smiled strangely. "Of cause you can play."  
Tella stroke the instrument absentminded, leting some notes escape." It's tradition of our family, every female cousin is expected to reach at last level nine of the twelve. This harp was passed down from countless generation to generation. My mother learned to play it, I learned to play it, my daughter, granddaughter and her daughter and granddaughter played it."  
Amy went pale. "This, one? This exact one? No wonder you went through such lengths to get it! "  
She grinned. "I'm a sentimental old woman."

"No, you're not. Well, not today ," corrected the Doctor with a small voice. "I'm sorry for my outburst. Don't deny it, she told me you heard everything. "  
"Did she? What a bad girl she is." The TARDIS around them made a noise, which caused Tella to smile.  
"But, you are right. I am stuck in the past, standing still. I'm trying to hold the pieces of an old life together which the wheels of time separated long times ago, pretending that a long dead race still exists."  
He shook his head. "No. no. You are.. simply a Timelady."  
"Am I?"  
"Yes"  
"Althrough I clearly ignore the rules regarding detachment, especially to family members?"  
Awkwardly he scratched his cheek, not sure how to continue the conversation. Simply holding her gaze, both staring what seemed an eternity into each others eyes.

Tella broke the moment by lowering her gaze and padded on the armrest of the couch next to her.  
"Well then. Let's dwell in the past a little longer, shall we? Sit down here and listen, my boy. Come on, sit down, you foolish hyperactive Timetodd."  
He scoffed but smiled. "Old, stuffy Timelady!"  
"And proud of it!" finished Tella the ritual while plucking a scale.  
They did as she told. Amy and Rory sank on another couch, the Doctor on the floor.  
"So, deary, which song shall we teach our young fiends today. Oh, I knew just the one!"

And she started playing again. To Amy's and Rory's surprise the Doctor started laughing while tears formed in his Eyes.  
Tella stopped surprised. "It seems I am now in need to apologise."  
He shook his head and sniffed. "No, no, it's beautiful, I just wasn't expecting _that_. Dwelling in the past… Rassilon, you've no Idea." He laughed. "Please continue. Or wait. Could you… could you translate it and just play the first two melodies. So they can understand it to?"  
"At the second time, maybe." she winked. "Otherwise they woun't be able to learn it anyway."  
Amy's gaze wandered between them. "What's this song?"  
Tella smiled. "Nothing, Amelia nothing at all. Just an old nursery rhyme."  
And she started singing again. Rory pulled her closer and she snuggled herself at his chest as they listened to the ancient words of this wordless language. She closed her eyes, letting the massive cloud of sounds and calmness lull her in like a warm blanked, enjoying this moment with her husband and her friends. Sometimes, standing still and remembering the past wasn't that bad. Not at all.

-o0O0o-

Turn, turn wheel of time!  
When the spheres come out to play  
bright with joy the stars will shine  
and turn and turn their wheeling way.

Orders rule both Time and Space  
as they're dancing, as we roam,  
step around in perfect pace  
so every second has his home.

Music, laughter, joy and pain,  
hope and love and shivering fear.  
The years turn round the worlds again  
and everything moves in its sphere.

Never stop, never still,  
each moves within its wheeling wheel,  
spins around in endless thrill  
as do the ancient wanderers feel.

* * *

AN:

I'm sorry about the wrong music terms. I know lot of this stuff, just not the correct english terms. It's terrible if you can't express yourself :'-(

I admit I'm very proud of that poem at the ending, I thought long and hard about actually including it but I love it so much. In my opinion Timelords are fascinated by the concept of the idea how the universe works like one single well oiled machine, but I'm sure you have already noiticed that by reading my fic. They also love order and with their controling, even a litle bit to brainwashing tending lifestyle, I'm pretty sure they had a nursery rhyme like that.  
The Doctor cries because this not only reminds him of his childhood but also of the flaws of the gallifreyan society he constantly was confonted with.

This orginally was the first oneshot I've posted in this collection but in changing its place I had to rewrite the most of it. I like this verion more, it's less an interducion of Tella with Amy pondering all her habbits and more the fluffy, calm scene it was meant to be.

What do you think?  
As always, read and review.

Greetings

alkatie

05102016  
Edid 19122016  
Edid 04062017


	16. through glimpses of a new life

**Disclaimer:** Although those are Bonus-scenes, you'll find none of them on any DVD or Blu-ray. That's because I don't own this show.

 **Glimpses of another life**

(Shattered through S.5-7)

-o0O0o-

"If I lose another Regeneration because of this, I will personally convince the TARDIS to play grand master Suxur's seventh symphony in all rooms! The uncut version! All forty-nine years of it!"  
"And I always thought Arcal love any scientific approaches as long as they deliver results."  
"Arcal? Arcal! Firstly, you can hardly call this a scientific approach, and secondly, I am not Arcalian. I am Dromeian."  
"Huh, right! The many books should have been a clue."  
"Why does everybody think…? Pydorians and their inability to neither listen nor focus. Except for rumours and dirty laundry, to spin their next intrigue."  
"Who's biased now?"  
"Guy's, " Amy interrupted. "Not the right time!"  
"Right" mumbled the Doctor embarrassed and took the little bit too big syringe Tella was offering him to ram it inside the creature's neck so that thing would finally stop jumping around in its fruitless attempts to shake them off.

-o0O0o-

„I…just... What was you thinking, " Amy huffed, glaring at the Time Lady. The Storyteller opened her mouth, but Amy waved her off. Of course she didn't understand a rhetorical question. „Better, what the hell was I thinking! Damn, I trusted you. "  
„And you can be assured…. "  
"Then why, why are there 53 Hardcovers in this box, which you were gifting to any random kid in that mall! You can't just throw out other people's money like that. "  
„Amy…"  
The Doctor regretted piping up the second her glare focused on him. „And you! This is your fault, too! You've even encouraged this. What the hell was I thinking to trust you of all things! "  
"Oi!"  
"Don't 'oi' me! You have no Idea what you've just done. There's a reason I told you to not spend more than 200 pounds. I hope for your own good Rory can fix this somehow. He may be a nurse but with this few shifts he is able to do because of you and your silly spaceship…"  
"TARDIS," corrected the Storyteller and Amy exploded.  
"I don't care! I don't care at all about this. I've tried to help you, _Story_ teller. I thought we were friends, so it was ok to lend you some money, so you can at least buy yourself some clothes, because the only things you truly own are a necklace and a stupid bag."  
"And a fob watch."  
"Shut up. Just shut up for once and stop this know it-all-attitude. Because you don't. You don't know it all. You have just driven us into financial ruin! Did you know this when you bought those outfits, this terrible scarf you 'gifted' me and those two boxes full of hardcovers which one alone cost about forty pounds, just to gift them to kids because they wanted them!"  
"Amelia, if you just let me…"  
"My name is Amy! And no. Simply no."  
Lady Storyteller lowed her head a degree in defeat, standing next to the shopping bags and those two brown boxes and glanced to the Doctor, who just looked helplessly back. At least she was silent. Amy turned and crossed her arms before her chest. That stupid alien.  
Hopefully Rory could somehow fix this with their bank. They waited what felt an eternity, nobody moving but the Doctor fidgeting with his fingers and Amy's pacing.  
Then the Door opened, and Rory stepped inside, a shattered look on his face. Oh no.  
Amy practically jumped down the stairs from the console. "How bad is it?"  
He absendmindly pushed a paper in her hand and marched straightforward to the Storyteller.  
"How did you do that."  
Amy gulped and glanced at the number. Blinked, and looked again. Huh? 199 Pounds missing. Not a single penny more. "What?"

Lady Storyteller straightened. "I was constantly trying to explain that I indeed kept the limit of what you two had granted me. The Books were a gift. The most of them are remaining stock or damaged which couldn't been sold anymore. An employee was on the way of disposing them and he sold me them for 15 pond each box. A deal benefiting to both parties if I may note. The blouse and the blazer came in a double as well as the scarves and the pairs of shoes. The dress was on discount. Time Lord is not only a title of knowledge but of wealth as well, dearie. I am an aristocrat having held the financial responsibility of a whole house for more than three thousand years. I can handle a little shopping trip."  
This woman? Unbelievable.  
The Doctor snorted and mumbled something inaudible which promptly earned him a glare from Tella.  
"That doesn't explain the books," Rory noted. "That's not a fair deal, nobody would sell anybody this much hardcovers for a price like this, damaged or not. This doesn't make any sense."  
"I am not called Storyteller for no reason, Roderick."

-o0O0o-

"Soo, you're a Seer."  
Tella glanced up but stayed silent and continued sewing.  
Amy squinted her eyes. "How does that happen? Are you born with it? Or is this something you can study on your academy. Like history of arts or… drama?"  
The second the question left her lips she regretted it. Tella's hand stopped and her eyes got that distant look she always got when talking about something personal. Too deeply personal.  
The silence stretched uncomfortably but the moment Amy started considering leaving Tella started to speak. "Some… get inspired, some get mad. The most run away. Like the Doctor. He always runs. Ever since."  
"Oh." Amy forced a little smile. "Ok."  
Tella smiled and nodded before she continued her sewing.  
Sometimes this woman just creeped her out. And instinctively Amy knew that she couldn't even ask the Doctor what Tella had meant by that. For he would probably react the same. He always did when talking about himself.

-o0O0o-

"What exactly are you doing?"  
"Open that door, " the Doctor growled around the screwdriver between his teeth.  
"Faster, " Rory whispered eying the shadows at the end of the doorway.  
"Working on it!"  
"Oh for Times sake!" Tella grabbed the number pad out of his hands and placed it pack on the wall, effectively stuffing all the wires back in place. She stared a second onto it before tipping in a very long code. And the door opened.  
"Well I can look at timelines, too, " the Doctor protested before sliding into the other room.  
"Then why you refuse to do it!"  
"No fun! Now get inside"  
Rory and my followed swift so none of them noticed Tella blinking and staring at the doorway, hands in hips, before falling into a deep curtsy. "Thank you, Milady Storyteller. How insightful of you to not waste our time with bragging about your technical knowledge."  
Then she stood up, bowing her head, her hand on her chest. "Oh, naturally. It was a great honour and I always love to help whenever... Oh!" She ducked the projectile crashing into the wall behind her and slipped into the door, closing it behind her but not without shouting an, "now that's just rude" outside.  
The Doctor looked up from the consoles. "Did'ya say something?"  
"No. How deep in trouble are we this time?"

-o0O0o-

Rory blinked. Nope, still there. Tella had knives.  
Well if you could call those sickle like things with their handles inside the crescent instead as an extension knifes. Or like a pickle with a way too long nose. But regardless of the form, even from afar he just knew they were sharp. And it wasn't Rory's fault they stuck out like that in the otherwise blank room with only a bed, table and two shelves full of books. Fascinated he stepped closer and took in the gracious circles graved into the handles mirroring each other, the cords with the pearls which let them look more ceremonial than the many sharpened out dents in the blades indicated. He lifted a hand to touch this clearly alien material when the Storytellers surprisingly sharp voice interrupted him. "Do not touch them!"  
He stepped back. "Sorry."  
"I am the one to apologise for leaving them open to be seen by everyone. Your curiosity is well founded. Those are Reltorian blades. They are truly fascinating time engineers, the people of Relton with a beautiful culture, too. One day we may go there, they survived as far as I know."  
Rory nodded, then made a calculated decision. "Want to spar?"  
Tella laughed a little too sharp. "With me? Oh no. Those are antiques, a gift from a friend. I was an ambassador there for a short time. It's an old, sacred way of fighting only few are allowed to learn."  
"So they're a reminder."  
"Quite so."  
"They are beautiful."  
"They are weapons. Tools designed not only to end but worse, to erase a life. I only accepted this gift because they are truly defensive. You can't kill with them."  
"Weapons that doesn't kill?"  
"A concept truly foreign for humans, I know. However, I admit a true master of weaponry can kill even with those. They _are_ weapons after all. How secret and banned that form may be. Speaking of banned. What were you doing in my room in the first place?"  
Rory flinched. "The Doctor needs you in the control room. Do you know anything of ...tvameshin?"  
"The Tvmay-shtin? What has he done now!"  
He followed Tella out of the white, nearly empty room with a last glance at the blades. They were too well kept being just any reminder, especially for how much Tella despised them, that for sure.

-o0O0o-

Amy tried to open the door again, then knocked.  
"Yes," sounded Tella's voice from inside. Wait, what?  
"Tella," she asked, just to be sure.  
"Yes, Amelia?"  
"What are you doing in the kitchen."  
"What a strange question. What one does when being in a kitchen."  
"Then why is the door locked."

"Why should it not be locked?"  
"Is this... one of your alien quips?"  
"Amelia, how often I have to tell you to stop referring to me like this. This term is not only xenophobic but just rude. I am not calling you alien despite you being it neither!"  
Amy shook her head. "Fine!"  
She didn't need that cup of coffee right now per se, so she turn around to collect the laundry. She was just stuffing Rory's Jeans into the laundromat when he turned up in the door. "Any Idea what's up with Tella?"  
"Not a clue. She did weirder things."  
"Yeah, but those normally don't interfere with cooking lunch. She knows that. It's not to her scedule."  
Amy flicked the switch and stood up. "Maybe she's making lunch?"  
"The Storyteller? Cooking."  
"I never said this isn't weird."  
A loud bang interrupted them and all they did was sharing a look before starting to run. But surprisingly the black biting smoke didn't come from the direction of the control room but rather the kitchen. Oh crap. "Tella!"

"Tella, are you all right? Tella! Open that door!"  
"Everything is fine!"Her voice was a bit to shrill to convince them.  
"Tella!" The Doctor sled around the corner and pointed the screwdriver at the door which promptly clicked open. He shoved against the door and hit his head as it snapped closed again. "Ouch!"  
Something blocked it from inside. Without a word all three of them threw themselves against the door.  
"No, no nononono! Stay outside!" Was she seriously...?  
"Are you blocking the door?"

Tella's eye appeared in the small gap but she didn't stop shoving. "Everything is fine."  
"You just exploded half the kitchen!"  
"I did not let the kitchen explode! I burned my hand and let the oven sheet fall."  
"You're injured!"  
"I said I am _fine!_ Please Amelia, trust me! I will handle this, just give me eleven and a half minutes."  
Amy stared at the door, then stepped back. "Eleven and a half minutes. Not a single Moment more."  
"I said, eleven and a half, not thirteen."  
"What?"  
The Doctor ignored her confused expression and stepped back, too. "Eleven and a half minutes. Or I get the TARDIS itself to open this door!"  
"Promised", came the forced reply.

The Doctor nodded to himself and turned back in the direction of the control room.  
"What was that!"  
"How should I know what this woman is doing."  
"No, that thing with the time."  
The Doctor rose one eyebrow before he smiled. "A moment is a measure of time, 90 seconds to be exact. Nobody uses it like that anymore. I'm actually surprised she knew that."  
"There are aliens measuring time in moments?"  
He laughed. "Aliens? Humans of course. In the middle age but still. If somebody tells you to wait a moment that had been exact 90 seconds once. One might argue that back then people weren't as good in measuring time to define an exact second but then you have to…."  
"Doctor!"  
"Eh?"  
"You get carried away."  
He huffed and twirled around the console. "Where is a Time Lord when you need one to hold a civilized conversation. Blowing up the kitchen of course!"  
"Now that was just rude!"  
He sat down with an expression like a kid caught with his fingers in the cookie glass. "Sorry. I don't like whatever she is doing. Worse, the TARDIS is supporting her. Traitor."  
He waved to the monitor and truly, there was just the kitchen door visible. Amy and Rory shared a glance. What was Tella up to!  
Ten minutes were a long time to wait, especially when the person one was waiting for was probably injured and one had no idea what you were waiting for.  
Until somebody cleared her throat silently.

They had never seen her more ruffed up. There she stood with hair out of place and full of flour, just in her skirt and blouse without the blazer she was nomaly wearing with that outfit but an apron instead around her neck, a tired but true smile on her face and a TADIS-blue giftbox in her hand. "I hope I did not caused any inconvenience."  
Inconvenience? Inconvenience, pah!  
"All right. What's going on Lady Storyteller." Amy eyed the package.  
Tella came down the steps and hold it out for the Doctor to take. "The whole gifting ceremony would surely be too much but… well. Happy Birthday."

What? Amy and Rory stared at the dumbfounded Doctor who scratched his cheek.  
"We are in a time machine. It could be every day, Tella."  
"So why it should not be the looming day of house Lungbarrow?"  
The Doctor starred down the package. "But… I never had a birthday present since… If this is a sick joke, Tella, I swear…."  
"No joke."  
The Doctor's eyes were still wide. "Then… why?"  
"We've already celebrated Amelia's and Roderick's Birthdays thrice. It's time to think of you, too."  
"You. Want to think positively of myself."  
"As the only other left, this duty falls to me, yes."  
"But... we don't celebrate our birthdays. At least not the small ones."  
"As I remember you are not that far from thousand anymore. Those few years."  
"But…."  
"Doctor,"-Amy interrupted- "just take that stupid present!"  
Dumbfounded he nodded and opened the box, just to stare a second inside before closing it, blinking and looking again. Then he emerged behind it with a wide grin. "Are those…. No. No they aren't. Are they?"  
He squealed and nearly hugged Tella but could stop himself before he did it. "How!"

Roy learned forward. "What is it?"  
He twirled around starting to speak but stopped before any words could leave his mouth and blew up his cheeks a puzzled expression on his face. Helplessly he turned to Tella who searched for words herself. "…. some kind of ... sweet... I think. Remember that only gallifeyan dish I am able to produce without utter chaos?"  
"Wait, that was _without_ utter chaos?"  
Amy ignored Rory's outcry. "You made alien food for his birthday! Let me see!"  
"It is not alien!" Tella fruitlessly protested while the Doctor grabbed his box and shielded it from Amy. "So, you eat it all for yourself? No way!"  
"Peace, please. Doctor, Amelia. There's enough in the kitchen for everybody. Tea would be fitting, too, would it not?"  
But Amy and the Doctor were already up the stairs and gone.  
And Tella snickered and shook her head. "Timetodd! Now what about you, Rory?"  
"Err. Sure? … But Tella! Are you truly, all right?"  
"Thank you for your concern. Be assured my gloves protected myself from further damage."  
Well at least those things were good for something. He thought about insisting to see her hands, but there was this rare grin on her face, so he simply nodded. She was charming when she was happy, and he had to admit it was wonderful to see her like that. Free and open. She was proud of what she had accomplished in the kitchen. Asking about her hands would rub salt into her wounded pride for not being able to use the kitchen without causing chaos.  
"Sweets," he asked?  
Tella bowed and gestured to the kitchen in invitation, still with that joyful grin.

* * *

 **AN:** Yep, I did it. I wrote that clichéd birthday cake fic. Well glowing space-cupcakes with translucent cream. Anyway, Happy 54 Anniversary, Doctor Who!  
Those scenes all belong to the type who are important to your story in your head but not important enough to write a whole shot out of them. So, have a little drabble collection.  
Time flew by so fast with the stuff I had to do for my studies, it was crazy. In my defence, I was editing some chapters with my new Beta, so I have never let that fic down and neither did you. Fifteen followers! Those are fifteen more than I ever hoped to reach with this Story, so thank you! This now includes Psychfreak66, yukikinns, SodaBrand, Viviene, Slytherpuffrules and of course JediGemini.  
I'm really flattered and sorry it took that long. There will be some chapters coming for sure in January, perhaps a bit sooner, too. We'll see.

Until the next time,

alkatie

23112017


	17. to live and laugh

**Disclaimer:** Life would be soo much more fun, but I don't own.

 **To live and laugh**

(Around S.6 ep. 4/5)

-o0O0o-

 _There is a reason why Tella doesn't laugh. And a reason why she should.  
Learning it again is the hardest part_.

-o0O0o-

„You're coming, too?"  
"I beg your pardon?"  
"To our anniversary," Amy clarified. "Do you come?"  
"You want me to join a human social gathering in honour of your marriage?"  
"Yes!"  
"I don't think this is a good idea."

The Doctor was right, Tella did say that often. Often enough for Amy to know how to continue that conversation to avoid frustration. "Why not?"  
"I have no idea how to act accordingly on such occasion."  
Ok. Or not.

"Are you using your ali- different upbringing as an excuse not to spend time with us?"  
"It is not an excuse. And you know I very much do enjoy spending time with the both of you, Amelia," Tella reasoned.  
"Then there's no problem. They put up with the Doctor. They'll love you," Rory chimed in.  
"I am still married, Roderick. I will certainly not search for… This is not amusing. I… Oh."  
Her eyes glittered, and the corner of her mouth slipped up into what could become a smile, before her face became expressionless again.

"Why did you just do that," Amy blurred out.  
"I beg your pardon?"  
Rory flinched. He knew exactly what Amy was talking about. It was one of Tella's quips they came to accept with her. But his wife suddenly wanted to know. Just when the conversation had turned into a direction they would have been able to handle.  
"Why are you always force yourself not to smile. You can loosen up, you know. We won't judge you. We never did when you showed emotions so far."

Tella sighted. "Have you ever considered that Time Lords do not process the same emotional range than humans do?"  
"Now you're downright lying."  
"I do not," Tella defended curtly. "There might be similarities, especially because we are able to … let's call it reprogram our brain cells, and thus capable of learning them. But nothing noteworthy to your hormone driven reproductive frenzy."  
Direct hit. They got her angry, great.  
Amy narrowed her eyes. "Oh. As far as I remember you are the one needing so called detachment training. You know, I think you are just wired up into outdated rules of…."  
"Amy," Rory interrupted. "Can we have a second."

Amy stopped and stared at him baffled. He added a silent "please", and after a second, she nodded and left the room.  
Tella mustered him. He opened his mouth, then stopped. What the hell should he say? He had sent Amy out, because he slowly got the feeling this was a matter she wouldn't understand. But it was extremely awkward, and he was surprised that it had worked. Ok, he was surprised he did it in the first place.  
He had the strong urge to apologize, but that would close the matter and it would never come up again. Then again, he could be wrong, and it wasn't even about that.

"You are allowed to have fun," he clumsily explained, taking a blind shot.  
Tella smiled her polite empty smile. "I am aware of that, thank you Roderick. The Doctor and I have already debated this to all extend. There is no need to discuss the matter further."  
"The Doctor had never fun killing his opponents."

Tella's eyes gleamed, her lips thinned, and her hand flew to her necklace. She said nothing. Rory carefully went on.  
"You feel like a murderer, not understanding the joy you found in the moment when you did it. I only fought in a few battles over history, I was more busy with guarding that damn box. I remember not much, but the games are not easy to forget. I can't even imagine how you must be feeling, with all the values and ideals you always talk about. Realizing you can be the exact opposite of it." He came closer.  
"I think you should live your live, properly. You are allowed to have fun."  
"How can I ever," she whispered, motionless starring ahead.

She was completely broken. Rory have had no Idea how deep the damage went, none of them had.  
She had thrown her name away out of self-hatred, she had dedicated her whole life to remembering the dead and forgotten. She never allowed herself to properly laugh because she had laughed when she took a life. A lot of lives. She had lost everything, even herself. She was clutching herself with bloodied fingertips onto the little remains she had left of what she was supposed to be, even if she disliked the person offering those remains.

"Listen and feel, to remember and to teach the memories of the stories," he silently reminded her.  
She laughed at his botched attempt to remember the exact words, "Nearly."  
He waved dismissively. "You know what I mean. And you know what? That's completely enough."  
He helt her piercing gaze confidently for a long time. The she stared to play with her necklace, not only clutching it, and looked away. "You are an incredible being, Rory Williams."

Another silence, then: "I enjoy spending time with both of you. It is truly wonderful. I just simply cannot laugh."  
"I think you will. In time."  
"Never," declared Tella.  
"That's a pretty strong word coming from a basically immortal being."  
"I am not immortal, Rory! I mustn't." she added softer.

Shit. Everything he did, only sent her deeper that downward spiral. How was she able to get out of this? She somehow must be, she had been alone on Naar. And yet, he didn't want to leave her alone. Then he remembered something. Well, here went nothing. It couldn't get any worse.

"Kelliox loved jokes, didn't he."  
She stiffened. "How do you know that."  
"You're used to people not reacting to your humor. That implies either a very sad relationship or a lot of insiders."

Tella loosened her necklace and stared at the pendant. It was the first time Rory saw her taking it down. "Amelia does have a point with that set of behavioural rules. There is a traditional expected behavior, which I do follow. Kelliox of course did, too. She was always well respected. But she was what you humans call a ray of sunshine. An optimistic genius who perfectly danced on the thin border of what was socially acceptable without ever crossing it. Especially her fifth regeneration. One time, she had built an AI in the form of a – a fox. The guards had to hunt it down for three days straight before they realized it had a time ring it and was able to shift to wherever it wanted in that close range."  
Rory raised his eyebrows. It worked. "No way."

"You should have seen the faces of these Pydorians and Arcal in the Panopticon."  
She snorted and burrowed her eyes in her hand. Silent chuckles escaped her and Rory grinned. Until he saw the tear dropping down.  
She wasn't chuckling.  
The Storyteller was silently sobbing.  
"Tella," he whispered. "I'm sorry, I…"

She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "No. No, it I who must apologize. I'm a sentimental old woman. That's all." She fastened the necklace in well-practiced movements around her collar. "May you excuse me, please?"  
"Sure."  
What else could he say.  
She smiled reasoning and left the room. The next two hours the whole TARDIS was filled with the silent etherical sounds of her playing her harp.

-o0O0o-

Nick laughed and took another sip of this cocktail. It was a wonderful warm summer-day, perfectly made for a barbecue. He and his wife had been surprised when the invitation came, there was only loose contact between them and the Williams. Then again, they always had a good friendship with the young couple, rooting way back into Rory's time at the medical school.  
"From a small seed, a mighty trunk will grow." He mumbled absentminded.  
"Aischylos," somebody behind him commented.  
He turned. "Sorry?"

"Aeschylus," the young woman repeated, this time using the more familiar Latin version of the name. "The quote. My deepest apologies if I interrupted anything. You have an interest in greek poetry?"  
Caught unaware he chuckled. "Oh no. The person with the finer tastes for something like that is my wife, I'm afraid. I'm just an old fool, trying to sound sage by sprouting sayings of man wiser than me."  
"Surprisingly, my husband would have said the exact same."

Edith laughed and stretched out her hand. "Edith Melburn. No, not like the town. My husband Nick. There are not many people able to quote ancient poets, nowadays."  
She looked certainly like somebody to be interested in something like that. She was young, around Amy's age, but he had never seen her in the town before. She looked out of place with her extravagant clothing, but then again, the Williams did know some rather… interesting people.  
She completely ignored the hand and bowed her head. "A pleasure to meet you. I am slowly working myself through the epochs. May I…"  
"Tella?"

Amy stopped at their cocktail table, with a wide grin on her face. "You came!"  
The woman, Tella apparently, bowed her head again. "Amelia. It is custom to congratulate, if my research proofs to be correct."  
Yes, definitely one of their stranger friends.  
"You really did research etiquette?"  
"As I pointed out before, I do not wish to embarrass you by being a boorish guest. That duty falls to the Doctor." She added with a small smile.

Nicks eyes involuntarily glanced to the infamous man, currently literally rummaging through the buffet with the cakes, pulling every plate up to his nose and sniffing it before placing it down at a completely different location on the table. He settled on the cherry chocolate one with a satisfied smirk. He wouldn't call him embarrassing, simply strange. But apparently that was some joke, because Amy rose her eyebrows.  
"I'm impressed!  
"I completely botched it."  
"No, no! You smiled, it worked perfectly. It's an insider."

Tella's hand touched her collar for a second, the she abruptly changed the topic. "I was trying to initiate a conversation by talking about poetry."  
Amy's eyes shined. "You couldn't have found somebody better for it. Edith is the towns head librarian and even published a few books, both interpretations of old and her own stuff."  
"I wasn't aware you were friends with such interesting people, Amelia."  
"I'm friends with you," she winked, and again Tella's hand shot to her collar.  
Amy ignored it and clapped Nick on his shoulder. "By the way, did I mention Nick's the local professor for quantum physics?"  
He didn't like the raised eyebrow and that glow in those eyes one bit.

-o0O0o-

"Thank you," Amy gripped his hand and hold it longer than necessary.  
"Thank you," Nick smiled back. "It was a wonderful party. I would say we definitely need to see each other more often, but well. We know how it goes."  
Amy nodded. "That, too. But… I actually meant Tella."

Edith grinned. "She's brilliant."  
"Yeah. Just a bit unsure of herself," Nick added. "She can be great one day. I think we both hadn't had such a great conversation in a long time. And she still has her whole life before her."

Amy hesitated. "Sort of. Yes. She had a really hard time the last few… years. She's normally not a person to come to parties like this. So, thanks for taking care of her and breaking the ice a bit."  
"So that girl-in-the-ivory-tower feeling I had with her was not just something I imagined," Edith carefully probed.  
"No. She lives for her stories. Literally."

Edith and Nick shared a glance, then the old woman took Amy's hands in hers. "You need to promise me to take care of her. She was hurt, very badly. You can feel that when talking to her, a young woman like that shouldn't have these old eyes. But when you and later Rory where there, they became young. You are good friends."  
Amy smiled, remembering a pick-nick on a planet made of crystal and Tella's pure joy when they realized, those crystals made sounds when gently knocked against them. "I promise. Actually, today was a huge step."  
Nick chuckled, then remembered something and pulled a silver business card box out of his jacket.  
"Would you give her that, I've forgotten." He flashed her his card and of course, Amy took it.  
The good bye needed a few more minutes, then they were gone.

Amy returned to the kitchen, where Tella dutifully helped Rory filling the dishwasher. The Doctor was outside with the other guests. "You don't need to do that."  
"I told her sixteen times," Rory huffed good naturally.  
"I wish to do it," Tella defended, the added after a while: "I enjoy helping you. Besides, I am here to celebrate you. On Gallifrey, the person celebrated never has to organise or do something, it is in their honour, after all."  
"That's depending on where you are in the world, too, " Rory noted.

Amy waved the card. "Nick asked me to give you that. It's a business card."  
Tella cleaned her hands, then slipped on her gloves. "A business card? Why would he give me something like that?"  
"Because you obviously left such an impression, they wish to hold contact with you in the future. They had a lot of fun and I think they really care about you."

Tella carefully took the piece of cardboard in her right hand, her left finger brushing over the ink of the data. As if it was some fragile construct, able to disappear or break any time.  
"It was … fun," she finally admitted. "I think… I think I will keep that. Yes. I will keep that, so we can repeat this. If we are able to repeat this."  
She looked down again, again inspecting the card and clearly admiring it.

Amy glanced to Rory, who nodded back. They had a long way to go. Neither of them had the illusion that she not needed to work on herself long after Amy and he were gone. But after that blind trial and error of the last year, Rory somehow had finally found the way to help her whit that peep talk he wouldn't explain.  
But it had convinced Tella to come here.  
So, perhaps her and the Doctor could find finally a way, too.

* * *

 **AN:**

I hate how this chapter turned out. I think it's the first time I'm not comfortable posting something I wrote on this story. But I rewrote this so often, I am simply done with it.  
It's the first time Tella interacts with somebody outside of the TARDIS without being forced by the circumstances to interact. On her own accords.  
There's a huge difference between allowing yourself to laugh and doing things you enjoy. She doesn't laugh here, no. But she slowly gains the mindset, that it's ok for her to laugh. I hope I was able to catch a bit of that, even if I don't feel like I did at all.  
The last update lost me some favs but gained me another followers, so thanks to AK47 with a dash of AR15 and shoutout to dcsvg1933 for being number 20.  
Also we are in the third year of this fic and only one more chapter and the jumping around is done.  
Thanks for staying with me, over the chaos and perhaps unexpected developments.

Greetings

alkatie

01112018


	18. to refuse

**Dicslaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who

 **To Refuse...  
**

(Missing Scene: S6 E7)

 _The Doctor and Rory seeking help in rescuring Amy and her baby. Lady Storyteller as something to say on that matter._

-o0O0o-

The oncoming Storm. What a fitting name. The atmosphere in the TARDIS truly seemed to crackle with electricy, just like before an enormous thunderstorm. The Landing-Drum signalized their materialization and the Doctor straightened his bowtie before he stepped out of the door. "Come along, Rory." The first few words since they had dropped of Jenny and that Sillurian woman.  
The place looked surprisingly normal, exactly like he always had imagined southern Wales or Ireland with his green hills, high cliffs and blue sea, if it weren't for the two suns in the sky. They've landed next to a low long wall of old stones with a wooden gate in it. From the gate a small path lead up to the hillside. A small cottage with a white painted door and windows crouched itself on the top of it. It was old and skew from the wind and seemed very cozy with that tree at one side. He was sure Amy would like it.  
Why couldn't the Doctor bring them to a Plantet like this one for once?  
Peaceful and quiet. Maybe after all this, they could come back, search themselves an little cottage like this and just enjoy the peace. Just he, Amy and their baby. Because he is going save them, there is was no other possibility.

„Where are we?"  
The Doctor turned with widespread arms. „This is the home of the most dangerous creature in the Universe. And we're going to ask her for help."  
"Her? The most dangerous creature in the Universe is a woman?"  
The Doctor shot him a glare bevore straightening his bowtie and started walking again. "Of course."  
Rory thought about the women in his life, Professor River Song, the Head M.D at the Hospital, Lady Storyteller, _Amy_ … and the Doctor was right. "Of course."

Wait. The most dangerous creature lives in a cottage. On a planet with twin suns. And is a Woman.  
"We are visiting Tella, are we?"  
The Timelord stopped and turned his head. "Yes. Yes we do." Then he started walking again.

Rory nodded. Good. This was perfect. With Tella's help there was absolutely no change for them to lose. Together, the two Timelords were unstoppable after all. Then he suddenly blinked. That tree…

"Doctor? Is this tree silver?"  
"Of cause it is not. There's nothing such as silver trees. Not anymore."  
"Not anymore?"  
He cleared his throat. " The…. The Trees of Gallifrey. They had been silver. Once."  
Rory gulped. "Well, it's Tella's tree. And it really seems to be silver."  
It actually was. Well the leaves, the trunk was more a dark chopper-brownish.  
With two long steps the Doctor strided carefully under the tree. His hand lingered over the bark not daring to touch it. "That's impossible."

"That is a strong word coming from a Timelord." They both turned at the sound of the familiar voice.  
"Tella!"  
The short but graceful Timelady smiled as she bowed, her hands crossed at the wrists, palms up, as if she's presenting something , but her gaze never left them. "Luck and precious Times, Doctor. Roderick." She straightened her back . "And the Name is Lady Storyteller. It is beautiful, is it not? I needed 25 Decades to get it this strong."  
The Doctor stroked carefully the delicate Leaves above him. "It's amazing!" Suddenly he froze. "Wait, 250 Years? Ehem, I didn't…."  
"We have just met each other last week, deary. And you have never made an appointment _when_ you going to visit me. So please calm down and come inside, I am sure the Tea is ready until now."  
Rory raised his Eyebrows. "You have prepared Tea. For us."  
"Of course not. I have staff for this sort of things. It would be very impropriate. What would poor Amelia think, another woman serving her husband? Oh Doctor, you will love them! Please, come inside, there are so many things in my collection I have to show you!"  
The Doctor fiddled with his hands and clapped them together. "Right…. And I really love to see them. But not today."

The only sign of her disappointment was the vanishing of that spark in her eyes, her smile was as wide and and polite as always. "Of course. You never visit after all."  
The Doctor ignored it. "We need your help finding Amy."  
She raised her eyebrow. "You've lost her? I told you that's going to happen if you're always wandering off, leaving them on their own on some strange planet."  
Rory scoffed. They had no time for that. "We didn't lost her. She was abducted, with our baby!"  
Now they had her attention.  
"How I may be of assistance."  
Those deep old eyes, knowing and seeing… she shrank back and closed them. Rory gulped. The most dangerous creature in the Universe, indeed.  
"We… we're gathering some friends for a team to save her," he carefully tried.

"You mean you're collecting an army."  
Her voice cold and emty, and Rory knew this exact moment that they'd lost. She opened her eyes. "You are expecting me to fight."  
The Doctor shook his head. "It's not exactly an army, it's a rescue team. Look, we're going in, taking her and the child and are off and out. We just need you for backup, if something goes wrong."  
There was a bitter sparkle in her eyes. "Everything is going to go wrong, deary. It is Demons Run after all. I am sorry Roderick, I caught a glimpse of your timeline again. I have no excuse for being so rude."  
Huh? She saw … his timeline? Can you actually do that? "No… problem?"  
Then he registered what she had said before. "What do you mean, everything is going to go wrong?"  
She placed her hands over each other over her belly. "Demons Run is a fixed Point in Time. You cannot change what is going to happen. You canot change who is gone be there. And I never was and never will be there."  
The Doctor's gaze intensified. "That's the exact point, Tella. Because we are going to change this, and I need you to help me to keep the Time together."  
"You do not get it. There is nothing to change. It is a fix point because it is the start of a paradox which had already ended. If you change this Doctor, you will die."  
Rory wasn't even angry, just disgusted by this person. "You've broken the rules before! You brought her back. You alternated the timelines and brought her back!"  
"Rory," she said with this disgusting reasoning voice, "this is not about the Rules, it is about the Doctors life. I cannot change a self fulfilling paradox."  
"Oh, you can, you just don't want to," growled the Doctor.  
"Fine. I do not want to. It would alter time itself too much."  
"Why, because you have vowed it ages ago on an old dusty planet full of old dusty Bureaucrats, whose time is long over? I need you. Amy needs you, her child needs you!"  
"It has already happened, Doctor. You can not change your own past."  
"Oh! So the oh so great and mighty and genius Timelady is afraid of the Reapers! "  
Tellas lips went thin. "Stop being so emotional, Doctor."  
The Doctor laughed and rose one finger. "Why. So I'll become a cold monstrous creature sitting like a good up there in the old, long forgotten throne rooms, while my friends and allies die like flies, crying for my help which never will come? Until no one's left and I'm dying alone like them? I don't think so!"  
For a second Tella's mouth twitched. "I am not a monster. I am choosing simply the most logical decision. And you have confused something, after all you deemed yourself god-like enough to decide over the life of billions as you burned Gallifrey. So do not dare to call me cold."  
"Oh, Tella. Tella, Tella, Tella! I did exactly the same back then, the most logical decision. In the name of peace and sanity."  
Rory froze. This was not the Doctor. He never quite believed him when he told them so long ago that he had such a dark side, the Dreamlord, but now? Now this ugly little man stood before him and taunted the old Timelady, just like it had taunted the three of them in that dreamworld.  
Tellas face was dignified as ever, but her hand wandered to her golden necklace, the one she always was wearing. "In the name of peace, you said that before. You were right, of course, it was the only way to finish it all. But was it equitable, was it just?"  
"I was the only one able to do it."  
"Because you were able to do it. And so you have also the right to save Amy, to break time in pieces, because you are able to do it. You have the right to punish all those people for their wrongdoings, because you are able t do it? Doctor, you will die!"  
"They kidnapped Amy! They stole a child! Tella, that's the cruelest crime possibly! They must be Punished!"  
"Oh, it is indeed. The most terrible crime committable, I agree. And you are the one punishing them, because you are able to do it. And if you are finished with them, whose next? Because there is a whole universe full off dirt and scrum, and you are the one able to do it. To find them, to punish them. There is no one to stop you, after all! And one day, you will find the darkest, most unstoppable creature in the universe and there is only you to stop him. And so you will step into your TARDIS and you will breaking the last law of time, because you are able to do it. And then you will confront this terrible creature, the thing you hate the most. Because who could be able to stop the great Prosecutor of the Universe."  
The Doctor froze. Tella took a step closer. "It is a long, dark road before you. You should turn, or you will burn with Gallifrey as the keeper of the Matrix after your lost trial."

She turned to Rory. "You need to go. You have to save Amy."  
Rory frowned. "But you just said that everything goes wrong!"  
"I never said you can not save Amy, deary." She smiled. "I am sorry Rory, truly sorry. You will understand in time, I promise. But there is nothing I can and will do or the Doctor is going to die."  
Did she just use his Name?  
"Of course there isn't ," the Doctor scoffed, "she's a true Timelady after all. We're finished."  
"So it seems. Good luck, Rory. Lord Regent Doctor." She nodded, but the Doctor had already turned and was walking down the small path. "Rory!"  
Rory nodded awkward before he ran down the hill to follow the Timelord.  
He wasn't even angry anymore at her. Not after this fight, even if he wasn't able to understand the half of it.

"I hope for the sake of the universe that Demons Run teaches you your lesson. The Valeyard is not welcome in this house!"  
The Doctor flinched but continued. For a second Rory was tempted to ask was this strange Valeyard-thing was, but then he saw the Doctors face and decided against it. They had more important things to do.

* * *

 **AN:** So here we have a missing scene from _A good man goes to war._ It is actually Tellas birth-piece. It's one of my favorite Episodes and after rewatching _The trials of a Timelord_ with the sixth this just blew my mind. The eleventh is so dark, especially in _A good man goes to war,_ I just had to write a piece were somebody other than River showing him in what/whom he's actually turning into. And the only ones knowing about the Valeyard were Six's companions or the Timelords. So Tella was born. And then of cause there was the Dreamlord which just send me dancing through the room after I was able to ignore the shivers of fear.

As always, read and review.  
Greetings

Alkatie

06102016  
01072017


	19. and advice

**...and advice**

(Prequel S.6 E.8)

-o0O0o-

 _Trust does not come from miracle, but miracles from trust. Or so they say._

-o0O0o-

„I can't… Please, Doctor. Please. Ok, pkone me back when you've something. Please Doctor. At least do that. As soon as you do. All right. Bye."  
Amy Pond. Believing, wonderful Amelia Pond. His knuckles turned white from clutching the console. He stopped counting her messages he forced her to leave on his answering machine because he couldn't, he couldn't speak to her.  
It was his fault.  
All this was his fault and now he wasn't even able to make things right.

He had hunted them, this Madame Kovarian and her Silence. He had followed them through Centuries and the Universe but always missing them, forced into a wild chase by the calls of a desperate Mother, the fear of disappointing the ones he cared for and the promise that was his Name.  
But he failed. Again, and again he failed.  
Melody.  
River….  
He groaned and knocked with his fist against his skull to get those old braincells work faster. "Somebody. There has to be somebody who at least has to have some sort of lead!"

The TARDIS made some annoyed noise and coordinates appeared on the screen. He Immediately pushed it away. "No. We've already been through that!"  
In fact, those coordinates had been that old machines first suggestion but the Doctor rather faced Amy and Rory's disappointment, than having to speak with that person.  
He just wasn't able to deal with Tella right now.

He had survived centuries, Ages without another Timelord. He would not crawl in shame to her. That would be exactly the thing he had to do if he was going to go to her. Because she was right. Again, she had to turn out right. And she was the person to merciless rub salt into the wound, so the scars left would always remind one of that painful lesson. That's what all teaches of Gallifrey did and she yet had to prove to be different. And he was not able to deal with that now, she certainly would be even nastier because of the way they parted the last time they had spoken to each other.  
Oh no, the Storyteller was no option.

Even if she was a seer, reading all those timelines and perhaps knowing something about the Silence. Even if, River… Melody had allowed her to look at her personal timeline on a point shortly before her death, so she knew exactly where he could find Melody. She would never tell him anyway, the law of time prohibited it. Jup, Tella was exactly the person with probably every single Information available he so desperately needed. But she was also… well Tella.

The stiff and orderly old Time Lady who stuck a bit in the past with a liking of music, books and Amy and Rory. Who had in her own dignified way begged Rory for forgiveness that she couldn't intervene when they came to ask her for help. Rightfully couldn't intervene, he remembered bitterly. But not now. Now, there was nothing holding her back but her stubbornness. And him being too proud to admit him being wrong. Gah!  
"There is no other way, is it," he asked halfhearted and the TARDIS didn't comment on it, already knowing he would go. He sighted and pulled the lever. The landing drum sounded after a way to short time for his liking and he stalled some more time by slowly sauntering down to the doors. Annoyed by his attempts to avoid the meeting as long as possible, the TARDIS threw both wings of her door wide open.  
"All right, all right. On my way, on my way!"

He instantly regretted parking this far away from the cottage, when he made the first steps into a downright flood of rain. But the TARDIS had already locked the Door. There was no other possibility than walk the half kilometer. Great. This Day had gone even worse. The rain-season here was legendary. Grumbling he shielded his eyes from the rain, locating the soft glow of a window in the direction the house had to be. He mumbled a silent "Geronimo" and stared to jog though the rain.

-o0O0o-

Tellas' home was different than he'd expected. And he'd furnished that house after all. He needed five hours to create the dimensional pocked which had made it bigger on the inside alone. He'd created her a room as big as the hallways back in the citadel, three walls covered in shelves for the books she might own, with four galleries connecting them. He had created a cozy lounge in the style Romana have had it at her home the last time he had visited her, a small kitchen and a bedroom. And the best of all was the fourth wall which had opened itself into a terrace on a wide, endless landscape of red grass. Grown out of the last few seeds he owned

Instead, when she had ushered him inside, scolding him for running through the rain like that, this little cottage was exactly what it seemed from the outside. Cramped and small. Barley room for the hearth with the comfy armchair, the cupboards and table, the two shelves on the wall or the plant on the window still, the wardrobe tunk and a harp. A ladder leaded up to the attic and somehow, he knew up there was her bed. Yes, she had a bed, he knew her preference for sleeping in one. For how short that may be.

He grabbed a towel hanging on the back of the door and started to dry his hair before going on to rub his jacket and his trousers, too. Tella's glare convinced him to leave the shoes be and instead placing the towel before the fire to dry. He then poured himself a cup from the pot resting on the table and sat down next to the already waiting Time Lady. She knew something was off. He never visited somebody. And the last time… They could as well get over with this. The Doctor cleared his throat.

"When... When have we seen each other the last time?"  
"Yesterday, why?"  
"Demons Run."  
"That would be three weeks ago."

The silence between them stretched itself into minutes. But it didn't matter. Not here. They had the Time. All the time. He straightened his bowtie. Surprisingly enough, it was her who broke the silence first.  
"What happened."  
What a dump question. "You know exactly what happened."  
"I do not. I know it has everything to do with River Song, but I do not know any specifics of what exactly lead to this disaster."  
He glared at her but refused to speak. And she... simply waited.

There was none of the judgment he expected in her eyes, none of her know-it-all attitude, any smugness or superiority. It was… comforting.

"It was a trap," he finally started. "I was so sure everything would work. Everything did work. But they were prepared, and I was so... So many were lost. Again. Because of me, because I just can't do things right. I'm... you... were right. With everything. I'm a terrible Person. You said, I won't be able to do things for Amy and Rory like they do for me and you were right. Their Child was stolen because of... of me."

He jumped up and started pacing in the small place between the table and the fireplace, unable to hold back the Words, now that he finally, finally admitted everything to himself. Because that was the most disgusting thing. He should have seen it coming. He did see it coming and ignored it. Because he was the Doctor. The man who fixed things.

"I… didn't notice. I didn't know I… They did it because of me. I enjoyed it, just saying my name and everybody knew who I am. What I am capable of. Rassilon, I boasted with what atrocities I'm capable of. I never realized they had this picture of me in their mind. All these years I travelled though the universe and... I..."

"Oh, get yourself together!"  
He flinched and turned. "Excuse me!"  
"What is this with you and your mood swings. You are either completely happy nearing insanity or a single pit of the darkest angst. Can you not for once find a middle instead swinging from one extreme into the other like a light switch."  
"And how boring would that be? No, no that's not me. Not my style. Boring is for others, not me. Not the Doctor."  
"Then who is the Doctor?"  
He grinned. "That's the question, isn't it? Who is the Doctor."  
"Indeed, it is."  
He narrowed his eyes, but she didn't continue. Only stared into the fire and sipped her tea.  
Frustrated he flopped down on the bench, emptied his cup in one gulp and poured himself another. "No."

Surprised, he looked up but Tella still stared into the fire.  
"It was us. Every single Gallifreyan who fought in that damn war. Whenever somebody tells of us they do not remember the scientologic and resulting technological advantage, the enormous knowledge, or the rituals and culture. They remember the fearsome warriors who slaughtered stars. And your attitude simply confirmed those rumors. Yes, you have created a legend on your own and there are only few knowing what you are. But those who knew and feared you instantly connected those fake truths, concluding that there is only one way stopping you. By using a creature as terrible and powerful as you."

"And for a second I thought you don't think of me as a mass murderer."  
"You are. But so am I. That is why I asked the council to change my name. You never thought about consequences, have you."  
He sighted. "We've had this a thousand times."  
"Twenty-one, "corrected Tella. "And we will hold this conversation a twenty second time. Because it terrifies me, that something like this is able to happen and you still do not even try to get a hold onto this."

He flinched. "Don't. Don't you dare! I didn't know!"  
"No. You did not care. You never cared. Octavian was right. You are never the person to notify the next of kin. You are never there for the Aftermath, never checking if the beings you tried to stop are stopped. Not only for a time being but forever. You never control if everything goes its way as it's supposed to be. That's what happened here. What will happen."  
"That's not…." the protest died on his lips when he remembered the times he accidently returned to a place. It did not happen very often, but…  
She was right. He might help the people, but on the long terms he rarely did. For most species time was a string or a, err, well it was a string. For a Time Lord it was a pond they could carefully dip in. And he had caused way too many ripples.

He buried his head in his hands. "I've been to loud. All those years I was sauntering around, trampling through the universe, like... like me. All I wanted was just… getting away. Seeing the stars. Not…This."  
"I know. I read your dissertation."  
His brows furrowed confused and she added: „The original one."  
His jaw refused to close. "It… It was never accepted!"  
She refilled her cup. "Borussa. He came to me with the draft and asked me if there was something wrong with him, to fail this spectacularly as a tutor."  
"I... thought you were just a teacher at the chapters'."  
"Headmaster," she corrected. "It was not my position that caused our acquittance. He was considered as a match, for a brief time, but we declined in consent. I was a seer, and he was…well him."

He hummed, and let the following silence stretch itself between them. He hadn't even known that he missed this, this timelessness of a conversation, flowing like a small river, searching its way through twists and turns but still with a goal. People always said he was easily distracted, and it was true. Because Timelords were able to talk for days. They could change the topic in mid-conversation and still fond back to the original conversation after hours. Something, all those other species didn't have the time for with their oh so short lives. Oh, it was boring most of the time, but just like humans there were good and bad conversalists and sadly the most Timelords belonged to the later. The outcasts were fun to talk to. And, surprisingly, Tella, too.  
But then, they never really had talked to each other until now, only fought.

"Have you acquired an answer?"  
He laughed bitter and shook his head. "For a time, I… came to think it was me. But now I see, that was a long time ago. I…" He stopped and growled. No. No she had no right to know this. It wasn't true anyway. What was he even thinking about? He didn't new anymore. He refused to know.

"Doctor," Tella scolded softly.  
"Oh shut up!"  
She observed him silently. He felt the minutes tickling by, in which he defiantly glared at her.  
Then, out of nowhere, she apologized.  
He hated how she constantly confused him. It was one of the treats he valued about her: despite being a traditionalist, she was unpredictable. Exiting. Challenging.  
"Why?"

"This terribly childish behavior, those mood swings and your denial of literally everything. Your chosen Carelessness and ignorance. Your boasting and false bravism. I finally understand why it is this disgusting."

This woman was just….

"It reflects how you see yourself."

He froze. No. No, no no no.

"You are just as broken as I am, and I refused to notice. You, too, lost the meaning promise, did you?"

"I know exactly who I am, Storyteller! I do not hide who I am behind a new name. I don't need one. I fix things, and I will always fix things, That's why I'm here. People just manipulated me and stole a child to brainwash it into killing me out of fear and hate." His voice was hoarse. Why was his voice this hoarse?

"And she will turn in one of the most remarkable women I ever had the pleasure to meet. I believe you. But please keep in mind that Demons run is a fix point. Not only because of Melody Ponds' destiny and its deep interference in your life. It is also a fixpoint for you. The only wakeup call you will receive, before more terrible things will happen."  
"You call this..." he forced his voice down, because there was something special in the way she said this. "You know something."  
She shook her head in a precise movement from left to the right. "No. Fragments, pieces of a puzzle of which I am not even sure, if they truly belong together. It is wrong to even think of basing assumptions on this."

"Oh no. You have seen River's life. Her nearly complete Life. You know stuff. You know exactly what's going on here!"  
"I do not."  
"Yeah, you do. There's a reason you barely leave this planet. Holing yourself up, blending in. You're hiding. From them. You know exactly what they are. And you're telling me now!"  
"No. Because, if I am only right about the tiniest bit of what is going to happen, Doctor, I refuse to manifest this timeline by telling you anything of it."  
He needed time to progress this "They... they're from... the future?"  
"Spoilers," she whispered and he flinched at the reminder of River. She too stared a second into emptiness before abruptly putting her cup on the table.

"How is that even possible. She is a Time Lady, she regenerated. Thr..." She snapped her mouth shut, but the Doctor didn't care.  
"She actually regenerated!"  
Tella nodded. "But she has human parents."  
" _Yes_! Absolutely, totally, utterly human! It's... Vastra has the theory that...that.. well, you now... _it_ happened in the TARDIS. In Flight..."  
"Oh, there is definitely a huge possibility for that. In fact, I know a lot of occasions," Tella agreed nonchalantly.  
They blinked at each other, and Tella hastily continued. "...But the simple exposure of genetic material to the time vortex does not create a gallifreyan DNA."  
"Oh, she doesn't have one. I've seen it, it's more like a Human plus Time Lord."  
"It still does not make any sense. Except... they engineered her? Using Amelia's womb as a loom. But that is not possible."

Oh! He jumped up and smacked his head. "It is. They've had her for nearly the full pregnancy! Stupid, stupid Doctor!"  
"I beg your pardon?"  
He ignored her and started pacing.  
"Of course! I don't know when they got her exactly, but it makes so much sense now. It wasn't just a disguise. They outsourced her complete consciousness! What works better for that than a Flesh Avatar. And then, they're able to do whatever was necessary with the body! Good graces, Amy! What have they done to you!"

"Not only what, but how. Even in their time period, they should not process this kind of technology. The colony is wasted, and the Leviathan destroyed. Adding to it, I personaly tracked down every single rumour of gallifreyan artifacts, to avoid something like this. I have no Idea where they got this knowledge from. And this very concerning."  
"Wait. You… all this worthless stuff…You collected it to protect the universe from people misusing it?"  
"For what else reason one should archive the legacy of a lost high-technologic civilization? Sentimental values? Doctor, please."  
What? But… Unsure he pointed at the harp in the corner without taking his eyes of her. "The Harp...?"  
"A simple sonic disruptor in the base, causing the etherical sound. Every human with the knowledge to construct a microchip can understand it in time. Shorter than a human lifetime nonetheless. And there are species out there way more intelligent than a human, dearie. The fact that this is coincidentally a heritage of my house was a satisfying and yes, pleasurable bonus, I admit. But a mere Bonus nonetheless."  
"Oh." He Didn't quite believe her with the harp. She had been too happy to find it. And she had called herself a sentimental old woman back then, too. But then perhaps she was getting sentimental because of the fact that this had been exactly that harp which had survived.  
Nevermind the motivation, it still was reasonable and exactly the thing a dutiful Time Lord like Tella would do. Again, he had been wrong about her. He still simply assumed things about her, and he needed to stop that.  
She raised one eyebrow. "I honestly, do not wish to know the picture you have painted of me in your mind, Doctor. It probably will be as inaccurate as mine of you, anyway. So never mind."  
For the first time he allowed himself to think that perhaps it wasn't that true.

He took a deep breath and placed both hands on the table, staring into Tellas eyes. "I need to fix this. And I need your help in doing so. I know you hate me, but please…."  
"I do not hate you. I never did."

"…. What?" Dumbfounded he took a step back. She smiled this little, bitter but real smile while she watched her gloved fingers tracing the rim of her cup.  
"I got to know hate. Real, true, pure, senseless hate. And I decided I don't want to be like that. Never. It does not mean, I forgave you, or them for what you all have done. Not yet, anyway. But perhaps in time, I will. I would be a hypocrite with all what I have done myself, I f I would not one day. But I cannot. Not yet."

The Doctor gulped, speechless for once, then smiled. "And you say you are not a vengeful person, eh? I'm not sure what to call this desire to let a person feel itself the pain it caused you."  
"A lesson in modesty," Tella answered promptly, but with a twinkle in her eyes which caused the Doctor to roll his eyes. She rose and pulled a key-ring out of nowhere and selected one out of the at least twenty ones. "Follow me."

-o0O0o-

It felt like stepping into one of those old churches, when you went in through one of those side entrances where the arcades were low, but you simply knew the room itself was way bigger.  
"Oh. I already wondered where this went. How did you move the entrance from the cottage door into the wardrobe tunk … whoa!"

It was bigger than he created it. Which said a lot.  
The ground still was made of polished marble and the whole room measured at least 400m in length and 100 in width. In the middle was a typical Gallifeyan Conversation Circle, strangely lost in the vastness of the room and the holographic projection of a map of the Virgo Cluster hoovering over it. Which still only reached the fourth surrounding gallery level out of twelve. At the end of the room were still the big arcades, opening themselves to the plains of red grass, their white curtains swinging in a slight breeze. But they suddenly seemed so little, because they too, only reached the fourth level. Every surrounding gallery was connected through a spiral staircase and there was at least one door on every level leading into other parts of this cathedral of knowledge.

It was the most beautiful, breath taking thing he had seen in this regeneration yet.  
Spluttering he took in the shelves and shelves of books, lining every single piece of wall that wasn't a column or a door.  
And slowly processing the fact that this was Tellas doing.  
Hers alone.  
He gave her the dimensional pocket, yes but not a single book, only empty shelves.

"How!"  
His voice sounded clear without any echo in the hall.  
"You have provided me with a whole workshop."  
That he did. Which explained how she was able to move the entrance of the dimensional pocket and extend it like this. Then he realised she was standing at the railing on the third floor, waiting for him to catch up. She already had a black little notebook in her hand flipping through it and searching for something. He threw his arms in the air and twirled around.  
"This is amazing! Spectacularly, brilliantly, mind blowing amazing! Tella…. Lady Storyteller, this is wonderful!"  
She giggled. It wasn't a pleasant soft noise like the chuckle she allowed herself sometimes, it was high pitched and squeaky, and he loved it because there was no false modesty or control about it.  
He started to climb the staircase. "How many are this! I haven't seen this much since the library!"  
"Enough for a Timelord to need at least about 27 Months to read through all of them."  
Even if he couldn't see her, he knew her eyes shone with pride. Which she totally deserved. To pull of something like this. Without an own Time Traveling device!  
"You stopped counting!?"  
She giggled even more.

His gaze sled over the books and he nearly stumbled over his own feet. Trishan. Raxakoplphorius. Glum. The Cascades of Caradonia and the Mavdera Conglomerate.  
The lost worlds. He stepped closer, checked the other bookshelves on that level.  
Meryleen. Burbada. The tale of Flickero and the three-legged Poolah. Kalponia, the old and peaceful civilisation which had turned itself into the Kapoaka. Kozmontis.  
They were here.  
Every single Civilisation that was lost, died, or was erased in the time war. This library held their tales and stories.  
He jumped up the second staircase, taking three steps as one and stopping in front of the Storyteller. Because that was who she is.

"Stories are, where memories go when they're forgotten. Again, I must apologise, Milady. I always thought you sit around and waste your life by not following me into adventures. I never thought you find your own life, try o fulfil your promise in your way. This… this is…."  
"Merely a beginning," interrupted the Storyteller, "there are still no readers in these halls who wish to be taught. But without you, there would not be anything of it."  
"So you helping me, showing me all this, is simply returning a depth." He should have known. But that was how Time Lords worked.  
"Pydorians and their paranoia. Once upon a time, most certainly yes. But as you said once, the last of us must stick together, do they not? Especially when helping a common friend."

She turned into a doorway which lead in a completely dark room. At least until they both stepped into it. A holographic map flickered to life, spreading itself during a room, twice as big as the TARDIS control room. And once again the Doctor took a sharp breath.  
"Is that what I think it is?"  
"If you think of a four-dimensional holographic map of the universe, then yes."  
All right, now that was way too spooky. The book about lost civilisations? With enough money, time and stubbornness (which she had enough of), one could dig them up in the darkest corners of the universe. But this? Nope.

"All right. Where did you got this from! The Matrix doesn't exist anymore!"  
"The TARDIS-Database does," she answered nonchalantly and adjusted the time frame of the map to fit the current time period. No, Amy's current time period. "Although I admit, I still have to add data in the finer scales down to 1:300 000 000 and less. The most planetary maps are not useful yet. Sol III luckily is. I wonder why?"  
He groaned. "You think I need to go back to Amy. Wait. You stole data from my TARDIS?"  
"Copied. Melody Pond was raised in her optimal biological environment, Sol III. Which is why you must return there nevertheless."  
She zoomed down into a street of London, at least not exactly the neighbourhood of those two and seemed to look something up into the small notebook again.

He scratched his head. "Ok, Tella, Storyteller, listen. I need to find River, as early as possible. At the most ideal point to get her out of that Brainwashing. It mustn't be something random, but the perfect time. So I can bring Amy her child back. Do you understand?"  
She nodded and wordlessly stretched her hand out. At first, he didn't understand but then he gulped and pulled out the notebook and an old pencil. Tella opened it and flipped to the last entry before she placed a circle of coordinates in neat circular numbers in the left corner. "You need a second one of this."  
He nodded and couldn't withhold his hopeful grin. "Thank you!"  
"It is merely a lead to a lead. It is all I can do without disrupting the paradox. But it will suffice. You will find River Song in the earliest hours of her life."  
For the first time in ages he bowed in the manner of the Time Lords, in the way which symbolised thankfulness for a favour done between friends. And Tella did the same.

He laughed and then he ran.  
Down the stairways, through the door of the wardrobe tunk and out of the cottage, through the rain into the TARDIS. He didn't even wasted time with punching the coordinates in but simply uploaded them through the telepathic circuits. He allowed himself a happy twirl before he pulled the lever, there was always time for that. And then after what seemed endless time but couldn't be more than one or two minutes, the landing drum sounded. He nearly fell down the stairs to the door, but still took the time to straighten his clothes and of course his bowtie -because he was cool- and stepped outside. In a boring everyday park with everyday people doing everyday boring people things.  
This Woman! He should have at least checked the coordinates. How should he find River here!

Frustrated he whirled around, his good mood instantly gone. Tella had been different today, completely different than he had expected. It had been amazing. But apparently it had blinded him to the fact that she still…. He stopped and stared at the Newspaper sold by the store at the other side of the pathway.  
"Really?"

* * *

 **AN:** Hello everybody.  
This was originally planed as part of the chapter before, but it didn't quite fit anymore. I feel like this would steal the show from the argument going on there, so it got its own place.  
The Doctor discovering Tellas Library and getting over his shadow to ask her for help is another key moment of their story and I'm very happy how this turned out. Demons Run was a turning point in the show and it also is one in this story. From now on the Doctor will change and listen to Tella, too, because here he realizes that he needs to change, too.  
I want to point two passages in the text out, the first is Tella asking if the Doctor still knew who he is.  
In the Time of the Doctor he doesn't know this anymore and has to be reminded by Clara, but I personally believe he forgets it around the Time he loses Rory and Amy and starts Sulking on his cloud. So here, he still knows who he is, he just lost his way and gets a change to come back. The first of many, if I may add.  
The second one is where Tella reveals that she refuses to hate the Doctor. .  
I want to inform you that (except the part with being a hypocrite) those words were the answer of Jewish Lady on the question if she hated the Nazis for what they had done to her. She survived imprisonment at Dachau for four years and visits it every year with the ninth grade of my school, pointing out the place she slept and the place her brother was shot because he was to near by the fence. Those words haunt me every time I write this story, because I am one of the few lucky children of true peace, and yet, I write a story of war. Even if I can't imagine what is like. I just want to remind you of that and dedicate this Chapter to this Idea and Anne Kölpling herself.

I won't make any promises when the next chapter comes out because this Semester I'm taking my BA. Also, my Beta disappeared somehow, so please forgive the typos and the grammar mistakes until she's back or I get a new one.

By the way, thank you guest for reviewing even if it was that late. I'm happy you liked the more alien touch of Tella and the madness which occurs because of it. I feel like I'm not good at writing humour, so it really gave me a boost of confidence that you loved it.

I love to hear what you all think of this one, so take the time and drop a review, they always let me dance through the room. As do new favs, like the one of shoutingout2you and follows like the one of Flip Flops n Crop Tops, thank you for that.  
And also thanks to all the others for staying with me in the chaos of revamping this fic.

Greetings

Alkatie

25022018


	20. What is in a Name

**Dislcaimer:** I don't know the Doctor's name. I don't owe him.

 **What is in a Name**

(Somewhere in S.6)

 _Amy has a question. The answer isn't as easy as it seemes._

-o0O0o-

„Why Storyteller?"  
„I beg your pardon?"  
„Your name. The Doctor fix things, that's why he's named the Doctor. Why did you name yourself the Storyteller?"  
"I did not."  
Seeing Amy's and Rory's completely puzzled faces, she added: "It was given to me."

"So it's a nick-name."  
"A Title", she clarified.  
"And why don't you use your name?"  
"I've lost it."

Rory blinked. "I'm sorry. Did you just say, you lost your _name_? Like… somebody losing his umbrella or a purse? How is that supposed to happen!"  
"People started to call me like that. During the Time-war."  
"And you decided to keep it, just like that?"  
"It's a reminder for the people and myself of the person I never ever want to be again."  
"Wow.. you must have been a … kickass?"

"It were rough… was a …" ,confused she stopped and knitted her brows.  
"It was a rough time," helped the Doctor out.  
"But that is wrong. It is the Time-war, there…"  
"It's the only way their little human brains can comprehend it."  
"But it is wrong."  
"Yeah, but that's Time for them. An abstract nonsense. Time's just time. All 68 types."  
"Oh, right. Terrestrial languages."

"You know, two of this little human brains are standing right beneath you and hear everything perfectly fine."  
"I know. It should not be an insult, Amelia."  
"It was one."  
"I know. That is why I apologized."

Amy huffed and changed back to the subject. " Right.. So, what _is_ your name?"  
"Lady Storyteller."  
"You said, this was a title." Rory declared unnerved.

"It is. It was my last wish to the high council, to get it confirmed in a real naming-ceremony, before I was send to the colony."  
"Oh, so you changed your name, like me?"  
"You changed your name?"

Seeing a change to get the thickheaded Timelady to call her like anybody else did, Amy replied: "Yes. I once was Amelia, but I changed it to Amy. It's my 'confirmed' name."

Tella smiled. "Oh, that's interesting. In fact, my name was once a shorter form- a nickname you can say- from my real name, too."  
"And what is your name?"  
"Lady Storyteller."

* * *

 **AN** : Hi,  
A short one this time.

I did have a Christmas episode two weeks ago but it turned out actually nuts so I deleted it and need more time to polish it.  
Sadly also exams are coming so I can't promise to keep my schedule. I have some chapters and stories finished on paper but need to type them down. And there are some, where she is more … alien.

A bit like with this shot. I wasn't able to resist. Sorry.  
And she has her reasons. She wanted to change her identity after what she did in the Timewar, for the same reasons as the War-Doctor doesn't call himself the Doctor.

Gallifreyan names are a downright snake pit full of theories and controversities, I know.  
But to clarify again: The moment she graduated (or whenever else Timelords choose their names), she decided for a short Form of her hidden name, like (Irvin) Braxiatel, Borusa or her husband Marceliox and most of the other Timelords we see on the show. She later changed it.

I've got all kind of such dialogue shots, I just love them.

And thanks to zeynep sevim mete for your fav.

What do you say?  
Read and review.

Greetings

Alkatie

Ps.: Yeah I didn't comment on the Christmas-special.


	21. Free

**Disclaimer:** I need a vacation, too. If I owned Doctor Who, I certainly could have the money to do so. Unfortunately I do not own it.

 **Free**

(Interlude S.6 Ep. 10 11)

 _Dandelecan IV does not come to mind while searching of a spot for vacation time. A pity._

-o0O0o-

Rory stepped out of the TARDIS, threw one glance at the wide ocean washing against the bottom of the cliff he was standing on, before turning back annoyed.  
"Doctor, this is not home."  
The Doctor's head crept out of the TARDIS like a turtle's, swinging from left to right before he blinked.  
 _Seriously?_ "You told us you agreed. You agreed for us taking a break!"  
He angrily straightened his bowtie. "Of course! I swear I used the exact coordinates. Earth, London, April 22th, 2011. Something must have interfered. She was sucked out of the vortex to this place. Wherever this is."  
Amy stepped into the soft green grass and the wind. "I like it."

Before Rory was able to say anything, something knocked against the wooden hull of the police-box shaped spaceship. Surprised all three of them turned to see nothing. Until a very familiar face under a big summer hat appeared behind the corner.  
"Tella!"  
Rory shielded his eyes and looked up in the sky and yes, there were the bright twin suns of her current home planet, which always seemed to be one at the first look. The soft grass should have been an indication, too. Grass on earth was never this soft, you could always feel the earth under it, in some way. Not here.

The rest of the Time Lady came out behind the TARDIS and she bobbed a small curtsy at them, which was even more accented by the white alien summer dress she was wearing. "Amelia, Roderick. How wonderful to see you again. Doctor.  
"Tella. Of course."  
"I beg your pardon?"  
"I just wondered what interfered with the TARDIS to bring us here."  
"You are not here on your own accord?"  
"Course not, if you call her."  
"I did not."  
"Oh. OH! But.."  
He looked to the TARDIS and back to Tella again. "Then, why?"

"Hopefully not a Invasion of Sontarans, they came pretty close to the system in the last nine years. Oh, please not today, how inconvenient."  
"Today? Why, what's today?"  
"The Equalience. Well, the start of it. It is the highest holiday on Dandelecan IV. As the mayor I am expected to organize the festivities and the last thing I need in this week is an adventure. The whole ceremonies are exhausting enough. It is worse than a funeral."  
"What?", blurred Amy and Rory simultaneously.  
The Doctor rose one eyebrow. " Five days of standing and singing in stuffy clothes?"  
"Nine days of constant chattering , meals, one religious ceremony after another and dancing in little to no clothing. Every ninety years. And I am not speaking of that sparely excuse of clothing Amelia and Rory are wearing, I am speaking of… nudity. Or some veils at best."  
Apparently Time Lords had another definition of funerals, too. Tella's differing definition of appropriate clothing was nothing new.  
"So you're basically celebrating for nine days… what?"  
"The equal standing of both suns, for once both visible fully. Some old mythology about two lovers and their eternal relationship. I could tell you, but I am rather afraid we do not have the time. You will need a basic course in the whole mythology and the creation myths, too to understand it. Let us just say, it is a rare event in the life of the Leycan, their lifespan and your human one are the same. It's a big vacation for everybody."  
Vacation. Oh.

Rory sighted. Not exactly what he had wanted. "I don't think anything will happen. We… I asked the Doctor for a time-out. And the TARDIS seemed to think we can get that here."  
"Does she? Wait. I know that look." She stepped closer and inspected Rory's face very carefully. "Yes. I know that look very well. What has he done this time?"  
"Oi," protested the Doctor, but Tella shushed him down. Instead she stepped in between Rory and Amy and placed her arms a fingertip away on both of their waists on their back, and then stepped forward again. And even if she didn't touched them, somehow they still followed her, as she gently urged them into a landscape full of green hills and a little cottage maybe 50 meters away. Some figures moved on a flat plane a bit further down, clearly preparing some big celebration, while a flock of irritated sheep-like creatures had retreated to the top of another hill, watchfully observing the ongoings.

"You two have definitely more stories to tell than I do. Even ninety-eight years on that planet are not eventful enough to fill more than an hour to talk. That is why I like it so much. And the two of you definitely need to talk. I am sure there is some tea we can spare. Perhaps even some other drinks."  
Amy eyed her out of the corner of her eye, taking in the sparkle in Tella's eyes. "Oh come on. You are actually happy we're here. All of us."  
"I am not unhappy."  
The humans changed a look and suppressed both a grin.

-o0O0o-

It was a hell of a vacation. In a good way.

Rory sat on the cliffs, staring down to the lights floating on the sea. There wasn't much land on Dandelican IV, just spread islands and a small continent at the south pole, so the people tended to live in cities of boats,made of skins and bones of sea creatures. The Islands were used as rare farmlands and to build temples for the gods and there were only a few occasions a mortal was able to even step on dry land. The Equivalence, the highest holiday here, was. The only person with the right to live permanently here, beside the gods and a few sheep, was Tella.  
"Leaves the question what they think she is," he murmured smiling.

"Who being what?"  
He flinched and turned his head to make out the shape standing outside the small sphere of light he was sitting in. "Do you want me to fall of that cliff?"  
"It is in fact the least dangerous place to do so. I already jumped there myself, it will not cause you any harm if you wish to do so."  
Rory sighted. "That was..."  
"Sarcasm, I know."  
Tella sat down next to him, feet dangling over the edge and her magnificent robes sprawled out around her. Rory grinned.

The one thing Tella hadn't overstated, was the very spare use of clothing. It felt like a beach party, where some of the better build persons had 'accidentally' forgotten their bath clothes. Except, it was about seventy meters over the beach. The Doctor had with concerning joy immediately joined the nudes, and had left Tella with a shrill squeak, downright purple face and four cups of wine to calm down.  
Afterwards she had to fight even more to keep her long covering robes on her body because the argument that it was forbidden for Time Lords to show this much skin obviously had been successfully undermined.  
The two Time Lords were finally able to convince the ceremonial masters, Tella was honoring the traditions by wearing those robes even more because they were worn on ceremonies on Gallifrey itself. Even if Tella later admitted to the two humans, those were just her daily robes as headmaster of one of the lower academies.  
That was the moment the two got a vague feeling of how pompous the Time Lords really had to be, if that elegant Dress with the over coat, all that embodiment and that sash and those floating sleeves with the gloves, all in silver and back, was considered _casua_ l wear.  
On the question why then the Doctor didn't wear anything alike, he simply pointed out being a guest. Which didn't quite settled the matter but nobody really wanted to question one of Lady Storyteller's -or 'Muamma Hikaye' as the kids called her- esteemed Guests.

Yes, Tella had built herself quite a live on this beautiful planet.  
Then, Rory noticed something else. "You... jumped down those cliffs? Into Water. Of your own will! Water."  
"It was kind of fun, yes."  
When she saw his face she continued, as if she had read his mind: "If you search for the real Storyteller, I bound her to one of the bones anchoring the great hall. I'm her secret good twin. But you must keep my existence hidden, her reputation will suffer heavily from it. And no, I'm not intoxicated. Except perhaps by the excellent atmosphere. It sometimes happens that you get drunk on emotions."  
Rory shook his head in an unbelieving laugh and Tella winked before she looked down onto the glowing lights, too. "I often come up here after dark. I hate, how little everything seems, but on the other hand, the reflections of the lights are amazing, are they not?"

Rory nodded. Being a festival of love not lust, it was roughly a mixture of valentine's day and Christmas, only celebrated in daylight so the both suns as the guests of honor wouldn't miss a single second of the party. This left the evening and nights to a calm time with family and friends.  
The last four days Amy and he had explored the wide landscape of hills in an evening stroll, bathed in the sea accompanied only by the stars or buried themselves in Tella's collection of books and movies (or whatever the alien equaling technology was called), even if they never dared to step into that wardrobe trunk, afraid of getting lost. And sometimes they both just talked alone in their guest room. That's what they told the others at least.  
Tella was barely able to join them so far, she always fond a huge mass centered around her, leaving her to spin the most wonderful, tragic, thrilling and loveliest tales. But apparently, today she had been able to leave the boats, to find herself on dry land again.  
Everybody knew how much she hated water, which made her accept this place as her home even more surprising.

"Amy and the Doctor are with the water weavers," Rory informed her, not able to bear the pregnant silence anymore. Normally, he was quite comfortable around her, but this was the first opportunity after Apalapucia he could talk freely with her. He just wasn't sure he was able to.  
Tella's face was as unreadable as always.  
Yes, she tried to show more human-like expressions, but sometimes she forgot. "I'm happy they seem to enjoy your stay here quite well."  
"It was exactly what we needed." It truly was, a hell of vacation. And he needed the alone time with Amy. Even if they hadn't spoken about... what happened.  
"That is always good to hear."  
He nodded and flicked a pebble over the edge.

She'd never press. She was curious, her seeking him out up here alone was proof to that.  
But she never asked for Personal Stories, she was very decent on that matter.  
"Tomorrow, will be the main ceremonies. I will not be mayor anymore, so we have a lot more time to spent together. I might show you the stables or give you a tour of the village or my school, if you wish?"  
"Your school? I thought you are mayor."  
"I have a daily resting circle of 30 minutes, when I choose to sleep daily. I can afford to be both. Besides, it is wonderful to work with children again. I would never miss that opportunity."  
Ok, scratch that last thought.

"You truly are a master of words."  
At least she had the decency to look in his eyes. "I apologize. It is just, you clearly feel uncomfortable and I consider myself a poor host, if I not at least inquire the reason for that."  
"It has nothing to do with the festival. It's just..." he sighted. He could tell her to leave it alone and she would. She always did. He rubbed his head and finally mumbled one word. "Apalapucia."  
"A beautiful Planet, if the stories are to be believed."  
Rory shook his head. "No. No, it's a terrible place."

And then he told her about the quarantine, and the two rooms with the different time streams. About the three of them separating and Amy growing old without Rory and the Doctor.  
About how bitter the girl who waited had become, and about the Doctor forcing Rory to become like him and make the impossible decisions.  
About how the Doctor left that older version simply to die, tricking Rory and in extention her with a smile and a lie like he did with so many before. About how everything could have been avoided if the Doctor had simply researched where current epidemics were and avoided those areas.  
The leviathan should have taught him a lesson on that, shouldn't it?

And during the whole story Tella merely listened.  
Some people said listening, being able to really listen to somebody was not only a gift but a rare ability. Something Rory had to agree.  
She gave him time for his thoughts, let him explain himself and his doubts.  
And when he finished she stared thoughtful down to the waters. He waited expectantly for her to say something, to react, but she didn't do anything. He knew, she sometimes fell into the habit of being slower... no, taking more time for something than the people around her had, but still. This lack of anything was concerning. "Tella?"

"Color me impressed," she finally sighted. "For the first time in the last tree regenerations I'm not sure what to say."  
Rory snorted, "Yeah..." He fell silent. Really impressive.  
"There is no more gentle way to say it than that he was completely right in his actions. I apologize, Rory, I do not have the proper words to explain myself without causing misunderstandings."  
"What."  
He felt like she slapped him.

She continued to explain.  
"He should have avoided it. It was unfair to leave the decision to take the older one in or not to you, yes. To trick you into tricking her, nonetheless. But he was completely right in discarding that older one. She was a time fragment of an accidentally created timeline which should have never existed. He corrected his wrongdoings efficiently. In his own way. Yes, his trickery is disturbing to experience from the receiving end, Rory. But that is his way of accomplishing his deeds, as disgusting as it is."  
Of course she would only concentrate on the task of keeping time intact.  
"He abandoned her. Again. He constantly abandons her, let her wait for him like a puppy. Forces me to twist myself into a caricature of him. Hell, I too lived for 2000 years, I'm a nurse and oh, now I convinced somebody to help me for my selfish goal to save my wife. By giving that somebody hope just to let tat person down. Which happened to be an older version of my wife."  
"You did this on your own."

"What? NO!" Tella rose one eyebrow at his vehement protest, which even angered him more.  
"I have never wished to be like him!"  
"Not once? One little instant is all it needs to change the universe. And you have made decisions that led you here."  
"Not consciously! I don't…. I never wanted to be like…" He stopped and took a breath. "You don't have any Idea, what he did to Amy, when he abandoned her back then. How often she stuck me into that old tattered suit, so she could pretend to travel with him."  
"And you chose to do it."  
"Would you have left Kelliox, if he had an unhealthy obsession with a figure you didn't knew was real or not?"  
"Kelliox would have never simply accepted such an occurrence as truth. But I would support him in his research while trying to keep his mind together, yes."  
"Well, I was a kid who had no Idea how to handle this other than playing along."  
"But you did knew, when he turned up again. And you knew exactly the damage done, so you followed, to protect her from her euphoria. And I…." she went silent and closed her eyes. Then she shook her head.

"Oh Rory," she sighted," it seems I am in dire need to apologize."  
Was that guilt in her eyes?  
"If I had realized, our conversations are poisoning your mind like this, I would never have dared to voice my displeasure as openly as I have in front of you."  
Huh?  
Her hand reluctantly traveled to his, but stopped before she touched him, resting next to his in the grass. "He cares about you. Never make the mistake of assuming he does not. That is his entire problem, he cares too much. So why should it be different with you?"  
Taken aback, he blinked. "You are the one always saying he doesn't!"  
"No. I accuse him of manipulating you through the natural fascination he inflicts on your kind. That he does not care about the effect he has over you. I never said, he did not love you. To use a word that might not be as accurate enough, but hopefully discerns this conflict a bit."

"He's a loving, manipulate ass." Rory repeated, just to be sure and Tella chuckled.  
"Language, Rory."  
"That's rich, coming from you."  
"Touché. Besides, as a person living in a society capable of time travel, I assure you there barely comes anything good out of a person returning to live with their younger self and their partner. There happened some ghastly things. I am not talking about the punishments for this illegal act of crossing one's own time stream."

"So, it is all your and my fault," he concluded provocative.

"Hm? Oh, no. No, It is certainly not."  
She thought a second. "He is a person people wish to impress, because he himself is impressive. And combined with his ignorance in that regard, he is enormously dangerous."  
"I never did anything to impress him. I protect Amy."  
"Which makes manipulating you a very easy task."  
"I know," Rory growled. "Don't you think I don't notice? Both of you? That's the worst. You at least force one to think, even if its exactly the conclusion you want people to come to , because you think it's right. And he? He's like this person you walk around with, saying to go left. There is a parallel road with a nicer view and you do it. And at the end you are in a completely different place where you wanted to be? But so subtle, you don't notice you get lost? I don't know, I can't do metaphors."  
"Comparisons," corrected Tella instinctively.  
"Whatever. The point is…." He stopped, remembering what she had said before. "The small decisions."

She did it again. He gulped and stared down on his hands. She was right. Of course, she was. But still, the Doctor was terrifying. What he, Rory, did was terrifying.

"She... always wanted me to be the Doctor. And how can I refuse her wishes, I suppose?"  
Tella lent forward, so she could glimpse the form of the TARDIS next to her house on the cliffs next to theirs. "He has a way of worming himself into you. You can struggle and refuse all you want. He will forever change you. Forever. And the abhorrent thing is, you come to love it. Deep down in the darkest corner of your hearts, you love it."  
She grinned at him, her real grin with that mischievous sparkle in her eyes, and he rolled his eyes. "Heart. One Heart. There's a line we definitely won't cross."  
Tella spluttered a booming laugh.  
Rory observed her with a skeptical smile. "You're sure, you're not drunk?"  
"We have a way higher tolerance than humans. But no. Except on emotions, as I said before. I have not allowed myself that much fun in centuries."  
Her eyes wandered to the few stars the sphere of light around them allowed them to see. "He is truly something. You know, they say, you have to pay a price for being with the Doctor. A price too high and terrible. When in truth, he simply gives as he takes. Everything is of the same value."  
"Then what exactly has he given to me, to justify this?"  
She smiled. " I like trick questions. They keep your mind occupied and force you to rethink and view something out of a different angle. Especially now, when the most can't keep up with me anymore. That was a trick question?"  
That woman. "Yes, " he whispered only half surprised of this answer. The Doctor had given him as much as he had taken from him. And Amy and him were still here, alive and breathing and he wouldn't have missed any of it. Despite Melody. Despite the 2000 years he had to watch over a black box, the Doctor sure could have opened sooner.  
Despite Apalapuchia.

"She said, she gifted me the years with her. The older Amy, I mean. With the younger ones."  
"And she was right. She had waited and wasted her life of waiting for you. Do not get me wrong, it is surely not a waste of time to wait, you of all people know that. But you also know what can happen in that time, what you could have done together in that time. And so, does the Doctor. He did not lock her out because she was old, it was because she grew old with either of you. He hates aging, because he hates losing, yes. And I do not deny, that there might be a little bit of truth in your doubts. It is our nature to be not well acquainted with loss. So, somebody with his lifestyle will easily see himself cursed, especially after such events like the time war. But I have the faintest of hopes that he one day remembers that the good things outweigh the bad ones. He had and will lose people, but he was a part of them and they will always of him."  
He blinked and stared at her. Did he hear right?  
"All right, now this gets really creepy. Sure, you're the Storyteller?"

"For the first time since the war, yes." She smiled and stared down to the town. "I am living in this place for about two hundred and fifty years now. I have seen ten full generations of villagers born and die. It does miracles in regard of remembering your detachment training. Although I must admit, I still have issues with the war."  
"Me, too," Rory reluctantly admitted.  
Then he furrowed his brows, because the last time they had seen Tella, she said something about nearly two hundred and sixty.  
"Rory, is everything all right?"  
"Sorry, yeah. Yeah, I think. We're not visiting in the same time, are we? I mean... uhm..."  
"Our time streams are not always synchronized, no. There were not that big jumps, yet. Sometimes an adventure you tell me of, had not happen, yet, but will be the next time we meet. Other than that, he is pretty accurate."  
"He's trying to impress you."  
"He is trying to impress everyone. Why do you think he so eagerly joined – how do you call them- the nudes. And of course, he never thought of..." she stopped and signed. "I am sorry. This is getting old. I just cannot help myself."  
"You're a teacher, it's your job," Rory reassured.

She chuckled. "You had a bad teacher, if constant criticizing of a persons character is seen as apart of the job by you. It never should. It saddens me, that I defined myself for you over my anger about him. I can see that now, with you coming to me, wanting me to confirm all the terrible things you depicted him doing, to feel being in the right. That is not who I am."

Rory never thought she was. Not completely. Tella was... Tella. Deeply conflicted about her curiosity for this new world and life and the longing for her old one. Afraid of change but graduatly adjusting. The one who lost everything because of the Doctor, the one he was always afraid that either him or Amy turned into one day. The one who had to stick with a perton who took everything from them, because there was anything else left.  
But that wasn't right. Tella had a life. Here on this planet, with friends and a home.  
He cused internaly. She might be right with that, too.  
But she had never shown anything else but her dislike for the Doctor. Wrong.  
She came back into the TARDIS. Multiple times, even with that life she had here, she came back.

The Time Lady continued to explain. "I respect the Doctor. I abhor some of his habits, but I value his acquaintance. He is a man who tries to be good, because it is the right thing to do. Ignoring the question of what qualifies as god and evil. I am sorry for feeding your fear of him hurting Amy even more. You cannot trust him, yes, but you can trust that he will always give his best. And you know that. Please do not let my personal issues cloud your image of him. He cares deeply for both of you, and he only wishes your best. Even if his methods are ..."  
"... terrible."  
"... questionable," Tella corrected. "But do not ever tell him, I said that."

"Said what," the Doctor asked behind them.  
The both turned to see Amy and him staggering up the hill with their own tiny light, both only wearing coats of brand new wave-silk.  
Tella smiled. "There will be only apple, and pear pies tomorrow."  
The Doctor spluttered. "This is the most evilest of evil revenges that were ever avenged. Why, you ... Dalek!"  
"I beg your pardon! You deserve it, and you know it. Especially, for that. Ten-folded."

Amy rose an eyebrow, but Rory could only shrug. And his wife smiled knowingly.  
"Everything all right?"  
"Yes." And surprisingly, it was.

-o0O0o-

Tella and all the other females in leading positions have had officially given their offices to their male successors at midday of the fifth day. The reason for that specific chance was apparently, that now the female sun dominated the light and therefore the ninety years of a matriarchal society ended, until the male sun rose to power and the patriarchal period of their society had to change again in ninety years of time. The Equation was so much more than just some festival of love or the sun. It was a change of believe the species of this planet willingly submitted themselves under, changing their complete social orientation without normally not living long enough to see it change back. If one even did live long enough to see at change least one.

Now at the last day of the festival Tella sat on her usual spot on one of the many benches nursing a cup of sweet but not very strong berry-wine .

Today's music was not as wild and tribal as it had been the last few days and there were some distinctively human rhythms, so Amy and Rory had bravely stepped onto the dance floor and started a jive, which turned up to work perfectly with the songs. Unfortunately the drunken Giraffe did, too, and so the Doctor jumped around with his hands over his head followed by an overexcited brunch of children and weirded out glances.  
And Tella's frightening annoyed glare.

Amy sighted and asked Rory for a break and a drink. He nodded and left her alone so she could work herself through the couples on the dance floor.  
"You look like you are going to kill him every second."  
"I might actually will."  
Woha. What do you answer to a mood-killer like that? No pun intended. Amy really needed to stop drinking that wine.  
"I…. don't think that's a good idea."  
"Which is the only reason why he is still alive. One time, just one time he has to show at least some manners, but no. Of course not. It did not even come to his mind that he is disgracing me, too. He is representing the males of our full species. From now on the people I have to live with everyday will look at me and ask themselves which one of us showed our real typical behavior."  
"It's just a dance."  
"This? This is not dancing. That is the annoying part. If he was going to dance properly, I had have no problem with it. But instead of simply refusing to, because he does not want to anymore, he is again behaving extra ridiculous to alienate himself. As always."  
Her voice was calm and nonchalantly, but that one sparkle in her eyes Amy wasn't able to identify turned into well known disgust.  
"So, why you don't dance with him?"

Tella's head spun around. "Me? I am married! Also, it is downright scandalous to dance with somebody if you are not in a relationship beside a group dance -which we are not able to perform here. The facts beside that gallifreyan dances, which are all the dances I know, are synchronized with the unique turn of the planet and also him being completely naked."  
"You said Dandelecon IV has the exact turn like Gallifrey. That's why you life here. Also, if you're worried about them wondering who of you two behaves like a real Time Lord, I doubt they knew how scandalous you two dancing together really is."  
"He is naked! This alone is a reason not to even consider it. And he knows the meaning of it. In a society where serving food counts as courting, what do you think dancing is viewed like, an act even humans see as romantically? Also I will neither dirty the memorial of my husband by dancing with another man, nor the memorial of my race by dancing while still mourning them."

Amy sighted. "How long are you awake now? You said it had been 98- Years since we have seen each other. This and the Time previously spent-"  
"257 Years."  
Amy froze and eyed her warily. For her it had been two, maybe a bit more. But that's time travel for you. Time Lords were creepy, Tella hadn't aged. No, that wasn't completely true. She had aged roughly one, maybe one and a half years, which was why Amy not ever thought about it twice. "Nearly three hundredth years? Then don't you think you can at least stop mourning. Not exactly moving on, but at least remember them not only in dead and dusty objects? You are still two people, you are still able to dance, you know. And I'm sure Kelliox doesn't mind, he knows how loyal you are."  
"He is the reason why I'm not able to dance with him anymore."

Amy frowned. "No, he's not. Kelliox died because of a virus not…."  
"A virus He had introduced to the colony!" Tella pressed through her teeth.  
"What!"  
Tella rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Never mind."  
"What? Of course I mind! You can't say something like this and then…"  
"Yes, yes I can. Because it is another Timeline. I confused the Timelines, all right? He is in his thirteenth regeneration, there is no one coming after him."  
"You are nuts."

For once Tella did not made any comment, instead watched the Doctor again. "He could wear at least some holographic clothing."  
"You wear something."  
Tella's dreaded eyebrow ached. "I… beg your pardon? Yes, I do?"'  
"Even if he's naked, he still isn't able to touch you. If that's your main concern."  
"My main concern is him degrading me. And maybe himself. Skin contact has nothing to do with that."  
"So?"  
Tella let her gaze wander over the festival ground, and Amy could swear, she lingered a bit longer on Rory, then fixated the Doctor again.  
"Decisions," she mumbled.  
"Sorry?"  
Tella's hand wandered to her necklace "Admit it. You just want to see an gallifreyan dance,"she mumbled absentmindedly.  
"Maybe?" Amy grinned.  
Tella sighted, rose to her feet and smothered out her clothes. "So a lady must do, what a lady must do."

Then, she stepped directly into the Doctors way, just to fall in a deep curtsy but with a strange way of holding her hands. The Doctor froze and stared at her.  
"Just.. acquaintances, "Tella clarified without looking up, but kept her eyes still averted from his naked body.  
The Doctor stood still for at least another half minute. Long enough for the others around them to stop and start staring and whispering. Then slowly he moved his hands, then his whole body. He bowed, then he took a step directly next to her, taking her hand and swirling her around in a graceful manner, before catching her with one hand, palm to palm and the other at his waist, her mirroring the position exactly. The music started anew and they stared to circle each other in slow steps, changing direction and hands in a special pattern, testing and probing and getting accustomed.  
Somehow Amy got the feeling not entirely only to themselves.  
Then the Doctor swirled her again, this time caching her with both hands again palm to palm before they started something distinctly like a mixtue of a menuet and a folk dance, jumping and circling each other elegantly. And Amy understood Tella's former frustration. Yes, the Doctor was able to dance, quite decently actually. And as the Doctor swirled Tella through the air, she also started to understand why this was considered intimate.  
She did expect the tear running down Tella's cheek.  
She did not expect her carefree giggles and judging by the Doctor's surprised but wide beam and the proud glances he threw to Rory and Amy, he didn't either.

Rory took her hand and nodded to the nearly empty dance floor, cleared in awe of the unusual couple. She considered few seconds, because this obviously was their dance, but then noticed a few other couples willing to join, too, but not brave enough to take the first step. So she let Rory guide her to the floor, joining with a waltz and earning an greeting nod from Tella before all the others joined them again, too.  
Strangely out of all the Nine days, this one was the most satisfying.

And after being politely asked, and in the Doctor's case forced, to stay a day longer and help with the aftermath of the celebration, he in return tried to convince Tella to follow them, which she politely denied.

"It's a time machine, they won't even notice you're gone. You're not even the mayor anymore!"  
"Yes, but I am the local teacher, Doctor. I cannot just walk away from my students. It is a four hours trip to the next school."  
"Rory is a nurse! He has a responsibility to his patients, too. Which he had never failed in."  
"Actually…." Rory piped up.  
"Almost never. Come on, one trip? Somewhere you'd never been before? And the TARDIS would be happy to spend some time with you, too. I know you're curious. Come on, Lady Storyteller. So many new Stories to discover."  
Her eyebrow aced. "No."  
"One Trip?"  
"Doctor!"  
"Fine. Fine. Precious Times, then."  
He let Rory and Amy in, before following and closing the door, then taking the stairs up to the console in very slow steps . He still expected her to change her mind. And Amy knew the chances for that happening were higher than a Planet existing entirely out of … bushes.

But apparently a Planet like that had to be around somewhere, because a second later the door opened and a glaring Tella stepped inside. The Doctor grinned and took the last few steps in one leap.  
"Oh stop grinning like that. One Trip."  
"You don't need to, you know. You don't owe me anything."  
"Just.. get out of here, before I regain my sanity. And I better not come to regret this."  
He fixed his bowtie and pushed down the lever which started the Rotor. "You won't!"  
When they stepped out into the staircase of a hotel, he wasn't that sure anymore.

* * *

 **AN:** Hey, I know this is out of my normal schedule, but I desperately needed some calm, happy fluffiness and I'm convinced you needed that, too. And this finally gave me the excuse to show Tella's softer side. And yes, friend dance with each other. Even if normally not completely naked…..

I'm not sure with the Title, yet. But Dandelecan IV is an awesome planet and I'm really happy to explore it a bit more. Although it currently starts to turn more into a Icelandic landscape but without the Snow and more grass. More volcanic. I admit, I present this twist to its inhabitants lifestyle in celebration of the confirmation that Time Lords are nearly immortal gender fluid pansexual aliens. And are considered to be one of the highest advanced species.

This had been my head canon for a long time and now I'm finally able to use it without people suing me. HA!

A big thanks to Dlxm95 for favoring and following and also a shoot out to you for being my tenth follower. Yay!

To all the others, as always please read and review for telling me what you think of this story and thank you for staying with me in this chaos. Only a few shot's left, then we're finished with the eleventh Story and everything will be normal again, I assure you XD

Greetings  
alkatie

Ps: This Episode? I can't even start, so I will just threw out some random bullet points.

Well, now we know why the Cybermen have those teardrops on their eyes. Don't think about why they kept it through all their models, this leads to a dark place of thinking.

Missy? Awesome! Her whole quips and remarks were wonderful. I also loved her beautiful hat and her parasol. Seriously, she has a sonic device in the tip of her parasol! Maybe her Laser even.

Speaking of surprising devices: the Sonic is a whiteboardmarker? The Sonic is a whiteboardmarker! I laughed so hard I missed the complete explanation, not that bad because I already knew this, but still. Oh yes, what a hell of an emotional rollercoaster this had been. You see Bill getting shot but have to laugh a second later because of what the Doctor had said in that flashback on the roof, just to cry over Bill again. I'm a little bit disappointed about her end because this amazing character had to either live on or go out with a serious big bang and neither of it happened. She is the victim the whole time. Surveyed by the master for years. I like his goatee and his love for disguises. He's himself again, yay! Also that one massive "fu you" to all the people suing Peter Capaldi and all the classic who fans for calling the Doctor "Doctor Who". Ha. And the introduction of the two genders "comic relief" and "exposable". But that was Missy, too.

26062017  
21042018


	22. Trust

**Disclaimer:** Trust me, I don't own this TV-Show Doctor Who

 **Trust**

(Missing Scene S.6 Ep.11)

 _There are monsters lurking in this hotel's rooms. Some expected, some not. But if you are brave enough to confront them, you get rewarded._

-o0O0o-

 **Warning:** Mentions of torture and betrayal and also self harm and attempted murder. Yes, this is playing in that creepy hotel and Tella has some serious problems and angsty issues. You can skip to the next paragraph sign, to avoid the darkness.

-o0O0o-

Tella knew fear.  
You just had to confront her with a body of water. She refused to even step into puddles and shut down whenever asked about it. All three of them had for obvious reasons thought they had seen Tella angry before but they were proven wrong when they one time had pranked her by throwing her into a lake.  
She had already screamed and begged when the Doctor had grabbed her torso and Amy and Rory her legs, but Amy was never able to forget the look of utter panic and horror when she darted out of the water and broke down shaking on the shore, grasping for air. She was able to swim, the swift powerful strokes with which she saved herself onto dry land again proofed that, so it had to be one of her so many secrets, one of the really bad experiences she had. Because she had unleashed her sharp tongue on all of them this time and in a destructive and hurtful manner she never had before, too, before vanishing into the depths of the TARDIS for about four days, and even after reappearing it took her another week to speak with them again.

And there was something else, far deeper hidden and only visible in the rare moments of honesty, when her mask slipped away to allow a peek at the true, age old persona behind it. Amy had seen it twice so far and the first time back then on the Byzantium, that glimpse of age old fear had caused her to trust Tella, despite the circumstances. She never thought she one day would discover what exactly this spark was.  
So yes, Tella knew fear.  
In fact the Timelady wasn't even brave. No, not at all but practical. If a task made certain actions otherwise considered brave necessary she did them. But she always preferred to give the first take to others.

So the moment her eyes settled on the statuesque figure sitting on the bed with the back to the door, Amy wondered about her untypically changing her mind about staying in the lobby guarding that mad guy instead of following the little group around to explore the rooms full of bad dreams. "Tella?"  
No reaction. Amy carefully took a step closer. "Tella? Lady Storyteller?"  
"I'm blind, not deaf." Her voice was glass, but chipped one. Wait a second…..  
"Blind?"  
No reaction. Amy took another step. "Tella?"  
"What do you want, Pond?" It was the same cold aloofness she splat Amy's Name with, she had used on that lake.  
Taken aback, Amy started to stutter. "I.."  
"Because if you have nothing to say, leave this room."  
Amy blinked. "All right. What's going on here."  
And Tella s _norted_. But otherwise stayed silent.  
Amy knew that behavior, knew it all too well. Tella was sulking. In a more expressive way than normal, but still sulking.  
Amy observed the stiff posture, the back and silver robes, anything that could give her an indication about….  
Tella was wearing a navy blue blazer with fitting dress and shoes today.  
"This… this is your room!"

"Is it? I hadn't noticed. I thought the Doctor had a name-plate made for my door. Or didn't he, I can't read it. Oh, I beg your pardon, you already know that."  
Her voice was off. Pure acid but also something else, something Amy had never heard before.  
This was not Tella, this was not real. And still, Amy wasn't able to turn away.

"What happened? Tella, please, talk to me!"  
"Enough! I refuse to be the subject of your mockery, anymore. I resurrected you from the death, do you rely think something like those ridiculous shackles are going to held back the Celestial Storyteller? The only reason you or the Doctor or any other of his oh so beloved humans are able to held me here is because I wish it. So. Do. Not. Try. My. Patience! GET OUT!"  
In a fluid movement she stood and turned with an rattling of the shackles connecting her hands with each other but also each cuff to the floor. This wasn't even the most frightening thing, neither was her completely untypical ruffled and unkempt hair.

Her eye sockets were empty, her complete eyeballs missing, scratched out with blood still on her cheekbones, her facial expression further disfigured from an inhuman sneer of pure loathing.  
Amy stumbled backwards causing Tella to smile or rather bare her teeth, continuing in a low voice. "Oh, yes. Your little human brain starts to understand its orders. Now repeat that action, one step after another, until you feel a flat surface against your back. That's the Door. You will turn, grasp the handle, open it, step through it and close it again."  
With every word she took a step closer, forcing Amy to retreat , until Tella's hands were stretched behind her and held her back from diving Amy further to the door.  
But Amy dind't left. "Tella, talk to me! Please, what the hell is going on!"  
It was an Illusion. Nothing but an Illusion. But that behavior frightened Amy, more than any other of Tellas previous outbursts. Something was off. The way she moved was to edgy, her smile to sharp.

"Tella please, let me help you!"  
She grew silent, tilting her head in that way a blind person did, when listening. "Helping me? You would... Does the Doctor know of this."  
Amy shook her head and remembered, she couldn't see her. "No, no I'm alone."  
A weary smile crossed the Storytellers bloodied face. "You really want to help me, do yo? Why now? After everything."  
"Listen, I don't know what's going on. But of course I'll help you. We're friends."  
"Friends, Indeed. Very well, opening the shackles will be sufficient."  
"Ok. Ok... How?"  
"By ordering the TARDIS to do so, of course, deary."

Ok, this wasn't the TARDIS. Just another reminder, that all this was an Illusion, nothing more. But Amy wanted to know. Needed to know.  
So she went on and took a deep breath. "Please let Tella go."  
And the shackles hit the floor with a ringing sound.  
Tella needed a few seconds to register what exactly had happened than she slowly lifted her hands, feeling for the now missing restraints.  
Amy grinned. "You're free."  
Tella nodded and stepped closer, a disbelieving smile on her face. "I am. You are really my friend, Amy Pond."  
"Of course, I..."

And then Tella kicked her into her stomach. Amy bend in pain and before even registering what happened, Tella had somehow picked up the chain and _slung it around her neck!  
_ Amy trashed, fumbling for the chain merciless strangling her, while Tella's soft, comforting voice hummed in her ear.  
"Hush, everything is gong to be alright, Amy. Yo must never be the subject of his anger. I will not allow my friends to be hurt, I promise you. its all for the best, pleas stop resisting. Everything is going to be fine, trust me in this, my dear friend. I will not lose more of my beloved to him. Please, be calm, I am not going to hurt you. I never will. I am not him. You can trust me, i will never lie to you, I respect you. Amy, I am your friend. As you are mine. Hush now, please. Trust me."  
Air. She needed Air! The world already started to fade around her.  
And then, the grip loosened and she stumbled forward grasping and coughing and sinking down on the bed.

Somebody called her name, a warm hand resting on her shoulder, and a blurr of a person.  
"Tella..." Amy croaked, and coughed again.  
"Everything is alright. You are save now. I am here."  
Amy gulped and flinched back, because it really was Tella sitting next to her. But as her sight gained focus, she realized it was the real one. Her Tella, with her strangely colored eyes and her navy-colored human outfit.  
"Your room..."  
Tella smiled weakly. "It seemed you have found it. We have searched the whole hotel for you."

"The hotel..." whispered a voice behind them and Amy flinced. Because the other was still there, laying on the floor, leaned up against the wall she seemed to be shoved agaist, when the real one saved Amy.  
"Ignore her, " Tella, the real one mumbled.  
"Ignoring me. I remember now, telling precious Amelia exactly the same once. The Pasiphae Hotel, right. Such an easy riddle to solve, but so many had to die before we found out."  
Amy furrowed her brows. "What's she talking about."  
"No Idea. Ignore her. Let us get out of here."  
But the other one raised her voice. "Oh no, you will not. Not this time. I will not allow you to do the same mistakes. Lapskraus, Milady Storryteller!" _  
_  
And the real Tella froze. "No. No. You are just an illusion, a depiction of….."  
The creature used the time to stumble to her feet. "The hotel, right? The Pasiphae- Hotel. Such an easy riddle to solve , indeed. Just a little knowledge needed on human folklore. You have studied human folklore already, have you not? Anyway, it had been an adventure. Amy had found my room…. Oh yes. You had found my room. I hope I have said it just like it once had been said to m e. I hate to break a paradox, but you know that."  
Amy blinked. "A paradox? Tella,what is going on here."  
"The trouble with Timetravel, deary," both said simultaneously, before the Tella with eyes, the real Tella Amy reminded herself, flinched. The other one just smiled that unsettling smile again and continued. "There is always the possibility to meet yourself, just from another time."  
"That's why I decided in my first regeneration to use a specific word to reveal my identity to my former self, so the damage such a meeting is likely to cause can be avoided," the real Tella reluctantly explained.  
" _Lapskraus_ ," added the blind one satisfied.  
Wait. Really?

"She is from your future."  
"Or so the hotel want me to believe."  
The blind one sighted. "I knew you would react like that. I reacted like that. Pushing the truth away, although I knew it was going to happen. There is a reason you fear your nick name, after all. Tella. Tella and the Time Lord with the silver, unruly hair and the dark skinned human companion. You still remember them. That's why you froze in shock the first time He called you that. You remember. You remember the day he discovers our former name. The day he does this to us, the day the Doctors next regeneration activate our…."

"There is no next regeneration. This one is his Thirteenth."  
The other one chuckled. "After all this time you are still convinced he follows any rules? Especially the ones created a applying by the gallifeyan society? What a naïve child I had yes I have been so naive. I had followed him in his TARDIS after that, after what you remember. And he had activated the chip again, chained us to the Zero-Room and exposed us to time and space and we scratched our eyes out so we did not have to see all those timelines and we stuffed the remnants, that glittery jelly into our ears so we did not have to hear all those stories hidden in the music of the spheres. The pain had always kept us sharp, our mind unclouded. And the Doctor had watched us, watched us like he watched Gallifrey burn and he had done nothing to…."

Her head tilted in an unnatural angle she sunk to the floor.  
Tella's movement had been so fast, Amy stared blankly into space before realizing the posture the untypically heavy breathing Time Lady stood in: right hand before her chin, left hand before her solar plexus.  
She had snapped her neck.  
Tella had just snapped somebody's, no not somebody's, her _own_ neck. Because she hadn't liked what that person had said.

The lifeless figure on the floor flickered before disappearing. This caused Tella to take a deep breath and roll her shoulders before turning to Amy, still with a green nose but a strong, normal voice. "Well, at least we have figured one way out to get rid of those illusions. Because that is all this was: an Illusion. Just an illusion. Just an Illusion."  
Then she closed her eyes and placed her thumb and index finger on the root of her nose. "Of course. Pasiphae. Greek mythology. The Mother of the Minotaurus. Believe! They are not feasting on our fear but on our believe."

She carefully smiled. "I hope you are all right. I am sure there will be some cool drink to be found in the lobby to help your sore throat. I apologize for not preventing anything of this from happening"

Was she kidding?  
She had just killed a person!  
More exactly a version of herself!  
A version the _Doctor_ had tormented, forcing her into insanity. To attack Amy and atempt to murder her to save her from the Doctors wrath, because Amy had freed her.  
"This? This is your deepest fear? You… you're afraid of the Doctor?"  
"I am not afraid of the Doctor."  
No she wasn't. She was afraid of the Doctor uncovering her Identity.

Amy gulped. "Who are you!"  
There was this distant look again, but no answer. But Amy would not let her get away with it. Not this time.  
She knew Tella had committed some crimes, she had been exiled to this colony after all. But her believing the Doctor capable of this?  
"Tella, who are you. Honestly. The Doctor won't never ever do something like this. To anyone! What have you done to think he will do this to you. Why do you even think of him treating you like that!"  
"It is what Time Lords do to monsters. It is what he does to monsters."  
"You're no Monster, Lady Storyteller! This thing out there, killing people, trapping them in this place, this is a monster. Not you. "

A sarcastic voice in her head reminded her of monsters killing people just like she did a few seconds ago without blinking an eye.  
That green nose had been caused by the things that Illusion had said.  
A monster was able to coldly place a Weeping Angel in Amy's eye because it was required for a fix point.  
Tella also hadn't apologized for strangling her, merely for not preventing it.  
And ther'd been this smile, the voice of that chained thing, that chained monster… no!  
"You're not a monster."

Tella closed her eyes. "No, no I am not. Not anymore. And that is why we desperately need to find the Doctor, there are some things we need to tell him to save us all."  
"Yeah, ehm. Ok. Lady Storyteller?"  
"Yes, Amy?"  
"It's save, your secret I mean. I won't tell anybody. But I'm sure it will never come to this."

Tella nodded and opened the door, then closed it again. She turned, came back to Amy. She stopped before her thoughtfully and then hugged her. She _hugged_ her.  
Lady Storyteller hugged her!  
She was this shocked, she nearly missed the Time Lady whispering in her ear. Just nearly.  
And as she pulled her back onto an arms length, her gloved hands still placed on Amy's shoulders, she stared dumbfounded into Tella's age old eyes full of vulnerability and age old fear but also a tiny spark of… hope? "This, is who I had been."  
"…Why?"  
Lady… Tella shrugged. "You didn't run away when confronted with myself. This person still exists, even if you were never suposed to see even a glimpse of her. You trusted her, fully. You at least deserve the Name of the person forcing you through this."  
She gestured at the room, then furrowed her eyebrows. "Still we really need to go now."  
Shaken from her daze and glad for an escape out of this surreal situation she had no Idea how she even had gotten herself into, Amy nodded briskly. "Yeah, definitely."

There was still another monster on the loose.

-o0O0o-

The Door opened to a leafy suburban street, with a row of terraced houses opposite a small park.  
Tella inspected everything with a critical eye, which was weird. Amy laughed and turned. "Don't tell me. This isn't Earth, that isn't a real house. And inside lives a goblin, who feeds on indecision."  
That Minotaur had been freaky, and she had enough from things like that for the rest of the week.  
The Doctor smiled. "No. Earth, real house," -he pulled a keychain out of his pocked and rattled it-" real door keys."  
What? "You're not serious."

She looked from the wide grin on the Doctors face, to Tella, who tilted her head to one of the Houses with a TARDIS blue painted Door and a well-preserved E-type Jaguar parked outside. Wait, what. THIS one?  
Rory spluttered. "The car, too? But, that's my favorite car. Tella, did you ... How did you know that was my favorite car, Doctor?"  
"You showed that picture everybody, Rory," Tella corrected with that mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I had nothing to do with it. The extensive movie collection on the other hand..."  
"And a library..." Amy added half-hardy, but Tella shook her head.  
"I am afraid, with the home cinema and the winter garden, there was only place for a small collection of titles."  
"Home Cinema!"  
Amy gulped and turned to her Husband. "Rory, can you give us two minutes? Two minutes?"

He laid one arm around the Doctors shoulders. " She'll say that we can't accept it because it's too extravagant and we'll always feel a crippling sense of obligation. It's a risk I'm willing to take." He threw the keys in the air and caught them, grinning.

"Hey."  
At least, he turned to leave, but was stopped by Tella, calling his name. Surprisingly enough, the Time Lady turned to Amy. "May I?"  
Amy shrugged, not sure what exactly she wanted. "Yes?"  
And then Tella hugged her husband. That was the moment Amy knew something was wrong.

Rory blinked dumbfounded and needed two takes to talk. "Tella..."  
She didn't loosen the hug. "As far as I know it is practice hugging each other when receiving a gift, or not?"  
"Normally the person getting the gift hugs the giver."  
They couldn't contain their laughter anymore, when Tella flinched back as if he burned her. "I... I apologize."  
"Nothing to, "Rory muttered with read ears, before remembering what he wanted to do before her sneak attack and disappeared into the house. No, Amy decided, she didn't like the emptiness in Tella's Eyes one bit. She leaned against the bonnet.  
"You're leaving, aren't you."

"Oh, you haven't seen the last of me. Bad Penny is my middle name. Seriously, the looks I get when I fill in a form, it's…."  
"Why now, "she interrupted, looking from him to Tella and back.  
He sighted, eyes terribly old. "Because you're still… breathing."  
She closed her eyes, trying to hide her breaking voice in a laugh. "Well, I think this is about the washing up, personally. "  
He laughed and jumped forward, gesturing exited. "I mean, you're right, there's still heaps of stuff out there to look at. Do you know, there's a planet whose name literally translates as Volatile Circus?"  
At least he was overexerting. He was trying to mask his sadness. Or not, because he was sobering down. "Or maybe there's a bigger, scarier adventure waiting for you in there." He gestured to the house.  
Amy shyly looked to the door, then shook her head. "Is it because of her? What did she do, to convince you to do this."  
"We all know, I cannot persecute him to do anything, Amy," corrected Tella.

Amy gulped down her tears. "Even so, it can't happen like this. After everything we've been through, Doctor. Everything. You can't just drop me off at my house and say goodbye like we've shared a cab."  
"And what's the alternative? Me standing over your grave? Over your broken body? Over Rory's body?"  
Amy turned to Tella, silently asking for help with this stubborn …. There was the vulnerability all over her face again. Her pain of her lost people and… friends and the fear of losing Amy and Rory, the same she saw in the Doctors eyes. Lady A… Tella stepped forward and took Amy's hands in hers. "I promise, this won't be the last time we see each other. But it is for the best this way."  
Amy nodded. She was right. The both were right. She had lost as much as she had gained on her travels in the TARDIS, after all. And the Doctor always wanted the best for them. Even if it meant to let go. Besides, Tella promised. "Don't be a stranger."  
Tella smiled, let go and bowed. So, did Amy, before the Doctor hugged her tightly.

"If you bump into my daughter, tell her to visit her old mum sometime."  
He loosened the hug and grinned. "Look after him." Rory.  
"Look after you," she countered. "Seriously, Tella. You have the full clearance to be the most sufferable pain in his ass to prevent him from doing something stupid."  
A mischievous grin flashed over her face, and with a startle, Amy realised it was the same of the projection, the same she had seen a few times so far but never made the connection. To Tella's more open, playful side, yes. But never to her madness. Which painted a lot of situations in a way darker light, and made Amy realize why the Storyteller kept them all in apparently blissful ignorance.  
And for a second, she cursed herself for not searching the TARDIS Library for Information about who Tella had been.  
"That will not be necessary," Tella interrupted her thoughts and remembered Amy, she could trust her.

"We're going to be fine," The Doctor flashed a grin and stubbed her nose.  
Amy ginned despite her tears falling freely now. "Bye."  
He followed Tella into the Tardis, but both turned at the entrance. The Doctor waved, and Amy waved back. Tella smiled encouragely, before closing the doors.

Amy held her eyes glued to the dematerializing TARDIS, even when she heard Rory's confused voice behind her, screaming over the unique groaning sound.  
"What happened? What're they doing!"  
"He's saving us."

-o0O0o-

"Why this sudden change of heart?"  
"You know why." He grabbed the monitor and pulled it forward so they both could see the file on it.  
"I want answers," he demanded.  
"You know I cannot give you any."  
"Because you don't know enough, too. Yes. You just seem to be the type of person who hates to be in the unknown."  
"You are afraid."

He should have known, his poor attempt at bribery didn't work. Well better save, than sorry. Lat time it was playing on her curiosity which got her joining him, after all. He waved his hands dismissingly. "Oh, everybody dies, sooner or later. No. No," he clasped his hands and kneaded them together while leaning forward, "I want to know why."  
Her eyes lingered on his. "A comprehensible demand."  
"Especially with how far they went to do it."  
She said nothing.  
He inhaled and straightened his bowtie. "Tella…."  
"No."

"I see…. Not even when I ask you to help me, as a friend?"  
"It is not my place. As much as I despise not getting all pieces of the puzzle. But I cannot. This is yours and yours alone. After all, you are the one knowing the answer."  
"Spoilers," he warned.  
"You already know that, so no."  
He shrugged and started typing in coordinates. "So, Dandelecan IV then."  
"If you wish."  
He blinked and looked up.

She sat down on the passenger seat. "I cannot help you on your quest of seeking the reasoning behind your murder. But how am I able to stop you from going on a little farewell trip around the universe with a few detours before reaching Dandelecan IV. It is still one trip."  
He laughed, setting the coordinates on random and pulled down the lever. "One day, I'm going to check your DNA, so you're not some weird hidden Regeneration of the Master!"  
"I am the Storyteller. I am worse," she answered dryly.  
He shook his head. "No, because I trust you."  
"So do I," she lied through her teeth.

* * *

 **AN:** Hey!  
No, Amy does not knew Tella's full name, just the one she had before and during the Time-war. You can go back to my shot "What is in a name" and read the AN, if you want a deeper explanation of my thoughts on that topic. Still, this is an immense show of trust as we learn later. In fact, Amy Pond now has Tella's utter and completely trust. Sadly we are also nearing ourselves the end of the eleventh arc.  
They won't see each other for a long time.  
Tella not hugging Amy at their farewell is her trying to keep controll over the situation. Amy knows that and respects it, that's why she doesn't thy to hug Tella.

Gosh, this fic turns into one single pile of angst. But to be honest this was meant to be a darker one from the beginning one. Still, I definitely need more humorous scenes. Tella has a funny side, too. On the other hand this chapter was to be expected to turn into something like that.

Anybody caught the Easter eggs this time?  
Oh and I started to publish the Leviathan Storyline. It has way shorter chapters and won't be updated frequently but I hope it will be enjoyable. Its currently on hold, actually.

As you may have noticed I now leave a note which chapter was added in the summary of the story to make this a little easier to read.

Thanks for rab70149 and aimeitingguo for following, and for everybody else staying with this collection regardless of the current chaos.

As always read and review

alkatie

23062017  
24042018


	23. New allies

**Disclaimer:** I live in the 21st century, not the 19th. I do not own.

 **To new allies...**

(Prequel S.7 ep 7 The Snowmen)

 _Vastra and Jenny investigate a rather unusual case. Which turns into the one of their lifetime.  
_

-o0O0o-

„Inspector Abberline! To which circumstances I owe the pleasure of this surprise?"  
Vastra smiled and sat down her cup on the table next to her chair the moment Jenny lead him into the Conservatory. The short, young man with the brown hair and the mustache fiddled with the hat in his hands while his gaze never left her scaly face. "Well, It's more a short notice than an actual visit, Madam. I was on my way back to the station for the final debriefing of those Underground-Murders, when I passed by."  
"So you solved that case?" , asked Jenny exited.  
"Of course! We're not that helpless, Miss, "he winked, but then fastly added: "But naturally, we always welcome the help of a brilliant mind like yours, rushing to the aide. There are some very strange things going on out there an average person would never be able to comprehend ,less than actually understand, Madam."  
"You flatter me, Inspector. Is that crime you're asking me to help you with this puzzling?"  
"You must think very low of me, Madam, to expect me to use such despicable methods to gain your favor." But his flirtatious smile was forced, and Jenny suddenly realized, it was the first time he ever saw her wife without her veil.

"Still," he continued, "I'm not sure as what to categorize that strange happenstance. It's not exactly a crime, more likely an unimportant incident and the Chief-Inspector didn't want you to bother with it, but I think you should know of it nevertheless."  
"Oh?"  
"It's really nothing," he quickly reassured, "just a lunatic woman. She turned up yesterday at the police-station, searching for you. We know her for a few months now, she always appears out of nowhere for a few days in a part of London searching for help for an acquaintance of her, apparently living in a box on a cloud above London before disappearing and resurfacing in another district. She is currently babbling something about mice. We had to take her into custody."  
Jenny rose one eyebrow. "A man living on clouds?"  
"As I said, she's crazy. A pity, she seems wealthy and well mannered. We're trying to locate her family but it's fruitless."

"Oh, It's possible, to live on clouds. Well, theoretically." Vastra mused absentmindedly.  
"I beg your pardon?"  
"You just need the technology to compress the water vapor high enough… "  
She returned from whatever memory she was pondering. "You said she asked for me?"  
Jenny needed a second before she caught on, then she brighted up. "Madam, you think…"  
"Perhaps. No, most certainly."  
A man in a box. With the technology to be able to live on a cloud. Who was she kidding, of course it was the Doctor! And that woman probably his companion. Oh, that poor girl!

And if it wasn't him, they still needed to find out who was able to purchase such technology in this century on this planet and more important, where did they came from.  
Abberline on the other hand was completely taken aback by their sudden excitement. "Madam, please. There is no reason to talk with somebody in that state of mind, I assure you. It's just an unimportant incident and I truly apologize for wasting your time with this. I wasn't aware, this would spark your interest…. in a matter of no interest at all."  
"But she poses no threat."  
He winced and Jenny didn't need Vastra's fine sense of smell to realize his discomfort. She felt a little bit sorry for him. After all, he decided to come here and inform them, despite the wish of his superior who clearly had depicted exactly this situation. "Yes, she's harmless but spluttering the same utterly nonsense all the time. She asks if we like mice and also for a potato-shaped mannequin, and tells you about that man in the clouds."  
Jenny's neck tingled. "A… potato-shaped mannequin?" Strax?  
He rolled his eyes. "Yes! It is not a good Idea, we had several psychologists talking to her but she shuts down all the time. She's completely absent. She even described you as … Pardon, I don't want to offend you, but she asked for 'Madame Vastra, a Silurian Detective, a lizard-woman from the dawn of…"

"What!"  
He visibly shrunk under their stares. "Well, I told…"  
"Nobody knows that word. How Interesting. May I be as bold and accompany you to the station in your carriage? Jenny, my veil please. We're going out!"  
She nodded a fast "Yes, Madam." before she left that poor guy with her. Definitely the Doctor or one of his companions. Or maybe the Doctor himself? He could change his body after all. But why would he then talk about mice all the time? But she knew Vastra's species!  
Jenny grabbed Vastra's Veil and a hat for herself. The Season, as the English summer was called, was short but warm. Time to investigate the mystery of the mice- loving, too-much-knowing lunatic woman. She really needed a shorter name for that before Strax returned. Normally he was the one coming up with the too long, bad names, after all.

-o0O0o-

Although she looked normal, there was something off with her. Jenny stepped closer to the bars of her cell, but the woman showed no sign of registering her. Well, she was wearing a white veil so Jenny couldn't be sure but.. wait.  
"Why is she still wearing that veil?", she whispered to Vastra and Abberline, who stood a few steps down the corridor, so they weren't visible unless the prisoner chose to come close to the bars. He frowned. "I have no Idea. She shouldn't have those cloves, either. I… I never noticed before… She came in with that parasol on the table over there, and her face veiled. Maybe they gave it back to her after…"  
Vastra interrupted. "You just said, you noticed her having it in here for the first time. Don't let your mind search for reasons and therefore ignore the uncommon. I think she did have it all the time."  
"But why would anybody take it from her? It is protocol during the arresting procedure to always unveil a prisoner!"  
"Now you're asking the right questions."

Jenny ignored them and concentrated again on the calm, even almost statuesque figure, sitting in the darkness on the plank bed with her straight back half turned to them and her shackled hands neatly folded in her lap. Her face behind the veil was invisible in the dark but she seemed to stare out of the tiny window into the blue afternoon sky.  
Jenny cleared her throat. "Miss?"  
No reaction.  
She tried again, but the result stayed the same.  
"Madame? My name is Jenny Flint. I need to talk to you. I'm not a doctor, just…"

"Do you like mice?"  
Her voice was beautiful, warm and comforting and most importantly clear, not that lunatic whispering of a crazy person.  
"Here we go again," groaned the Inspector silently. As he saw the questioning gaze, both of the veiled detective and her handmaiden , he quickly explained. "Every time someone mentions a doctor she starts to ask about mice."  
As if summoned, the high voice with that surprising low hum, asked again: "Do you like mice, Misses Jenny Flint?"  
"Ehm, it's 'Miss Flint'."  
"You are married. Are you married? Your tie is red, so it's a timeline where you are. Are you? Never the less… Do you like mice?"  
What in the name of…! Unsure she glanced to Vastra, who nodded encouraging. "I've never thought about that, Madame."  
"Once you're able to speak their language, they are sweet and very joyful company. Very intelligent, they're even able to grasp the basic of human science, and they often provide you with a rather unique view on the universe. They are marvelous."  
"I ..well, as a Housemaid I kind of see them as a pest but putting it like that, they sound like being enjoyable to have around."

There was a small chuckle. "Oh, they certainly are. But they also are very short-lived, about 1-2 years. Now imagine, there is a man keeping them for company because of the benefits I just told you about. And this man has to say goodbye every year to some of those mice he loves so much. Especially because not all mice die of a natural cause, sometimes one escapes , sometimes the cat takes one, sometimes one gets sick and withers away. And so he has to say goodbye, again and again and they keep breaking his hearts.. And this goes on and on for many, many ,many years, certainly half his life. What would you do in his position? "  
"We do not talk about mice, do we?"  
"Of course we do."  
But they didn't. She was trying to make a point with this. But which?  
"What would you do?", the woman asked again.  
"I would stop," muttered Jenny.  
"Despite their wonderful features? The joy, that brings their company. After all, those are just simple mice, are they not? "  
Jenny shook her head. "Still, Madame. Always have to say good-bye to friends? I mean, they _are_ friends even if they are only mice. I couldn't do it."

Seeing your friends die, while you were forced to continue living because your lifespan was tenfold as long as theirs... What a bitter, sad person this man must be. Haunted by ghosts, always on the run and never standing still, just like…

Just like the Doctor.  
That woman was found several times wandering the streets of London in search for help for a man living in a box.

"What happened! Is he all right?"

Her head moved so Jenny could make out the profile of a long but slim face with an small, sharp nose.  
"You are Jenny Flint. But you are alone. No.. You're not. There's someone else. Your wife. Who are you married to here? Are you married to Madame Vastra? There is a human over there and you should be in the company of a Sontaran, not a human. That is wrong, you should not…. Should not…"  
Jenny leaned forward, trying to catch a bit more of that strange woman's face, the bars pressing on her cheeks. "Who _are_ you!"

"Nobody," she answered in an airy, dreamy tone with a hint of eternal sadness. Maybe she was crazy after all.

"I don't think so," Vastra choose to step into the prisoners point of view. "Strax has his monthly free weekend."

The woman's head moved a bit to the side as if she was pondering something. "I see. I haven't noticed that. So this is Inspector Abberline… Well, at least the humiliation of the stay in this filthy cell and the use of my acting skills were fruitful."  
She rose and bowed in a strange manner. "Madame Vastra, I presume. Luck and precious Times."  
Vastra stiffed surprised by the sudden change of attitude. "Indeed."  
Then she caught herself." You seem very acquainted with me and my staff, unfortunately I can't claim the same regarding your identity."  
"Which is of no importance right now. The little riddle I have given your human however, is not. But regarding the stories about you, you have solved it already anyway, have you not?"  
Jenny haven't ever heard that strange accent and those little mistakes in the speech pattern before, and she 'd meet plenty of people, alien and not.  
Who… what was she!  
Vastra's voice interrupted her pondering. "The proportion of the life span between man and mouse corresponds to that between man and one Timelord's regeneration."

"A what?," blurted Abberline out.  
"A Timelord," repeated the woman patiently.  
"A Lord. Of Time."  
"So to speak, yes."

His laugh was a little bit too high. "Right. All Right. I beg your pardon, Madam, but this has to end right now. This woman clearly is out of her mind, and I refuse…"  
"Oh, I assure you, Inspector, she is not, "Vastra interrupted.  
"What?"  
Jenny cleared her throat. "What Madam is trying to say is, we actually know that particular person, this Timelord, quite well."  
"You know the Lord of Time. Who lives on clouds."  
" A Timelord. It's a whole own species. We weren't aware of the rather unusual choice of his current settlement, but yes."

Abberline wiped his forehead with a hand chief. "Oh dear. What's next. Those scaly features of you are no eczema but your skin because you _are_ a lizard?""They actually are ,"Vastra corrected.

"You have lost your handchief, Inspector." The now completely white man with that slightly green nose slowly turned to the bars. In their argument they had completely forgotten about the prisoner and she had used the time to come to the bars. She was surprisingly small, now that Jenny could compare her height to Vastra and herself. Strange how somebody with such a big presence could be forgotten or go unnoticed by anybody , just like that. She picked up the little square of textile the Inspector had dropped in his shock in a graceful movement and presented it to him. Something was wrong about that. Terribly.

"Your shackles," the Inspector squeaked.  
In the name of… He was right! She had been shackled to the wall! She wasn't able to come this near to the bars! But there were none.  
But ….Jenny had seen them!

"There never had been shackles, " the woman said kind but matter-of-factly.  
"Yes there were," Abberline started shaking now, and the only reason Jenny didn't took a step backwards was Vastra not moving a fingertip. "Don't play your crazy mind tricks with me. I know what I've seen. I know, what I've done! I've personally overseen you being shackled to this wall!"  
"No, I was not," she repeated calmly. "At least not in this timeline."

Jenny's eyes boggled.  
Vastra took a surprised breath.  
And Abberline choose the sweet embrace of unconsciousness over that bizarre reality.

The woman hid her silent chuckle behind her hand. "I know it is horribly rude, but it is so adorable how the human mind shuts down, whenever it experiences an overload of uncomfortable information."  
She leaned forward and lifted her veil to get a better look. "That poor man. I didn't thought I have scared him that much. I already chose to stay inside the bars."

Yep. Alien. Definitely alien, despite her completely normal, human like features.  
Vastra checked his pulse before she stood up. "Tella, am I right."  
Her polite smile didn't change but there was a sparkle in her( admittedly quite beautiful) eyes. "Lady Storyteller, please. I've already given up to convince the Lord Regent to stop crippling my name like that, but this doesn't mean I like it."

"Lord Regent?"piped Jenny up.  
"The Doctor, my dear" explained her wife, "He once was the President of Gallifrey for a short time. And I think he will stop calling you that nickname if you stop to call him by his title."  
"Oh, certainly."She grinned with a delightful glint in her eyes and it was so charming, they both had to grin back. Then she sighted. "At least now I know why he had chosen to come here. He trusted you enough to tell you of my existence."  
Of her… Oh.  
OH!  
Stupid! Of course!  
"You'r' a Timelord! You'r' the Timelady who refused t'come to Demons Run! Who told Rory exactly what'll happen!"  
The light-brown haired woman nodded gracefully. Which left one question. "I beg your pardon, Mad… Milady, but what are you doing here?"

"Well, I only was able to extract your names and the time from his TARDIS, before he realized what I was doing and … dismissed me rather forcefully. So I had to search the complete planet for three persons and after I found out Vastra was a well known Detective, the best option seemed to consult the next station of executive enforcement. Unfortunately, they were already aware of my early, admittedly desperate attempts to find you, so I had no choice as to play a lunatic but harmless damsel in distress and to leave enough clues not only to finally get somebody interested enough to report back to you but also to lure you here."  
Vastra chuckled. "Fascinating. But I think she meant to ask about the reason for you traveling to earth, this … time-place. Given the secrecy of your existence and what the Doctor told about your aversion to travel. Let alone your missing access to traveling devices. You must have gone to immense length to come here."

"I did indeed. But all this is clearly outweighed by the things at stake."

-o0O0o-

"Retired?"  
Lady Storyteller nodded and took another sip of her tea. It had been a true pain to convince the Chief Inspector that she was sane enough to be let out of the cell, but absolutely impossible to set her free, so they had to settle for the compromise of Abberline's office to talk. The poor Inspector had simply shook his head and left, grumbling something about not even wanting to know.

"Settled, withdrawn, retired. Call it as you wish. He cites it as his exit. I quote: "He's finished with the universe, quote."  
"What," Jenny asked, "But why? He is ... Well, he's Doctor! "  
"Mice," answered the Timelady meaningful.  
Jenny gulped. Loosing friends all your lifetime because their lifespan was too short. But this was different. This was the Doctor!  
"But he can't simply..."  
"Jenny, dear," Vastra interrupted " If the Doctor has decided to do so, we should accept his decision."  
Lady Storyteller froze and glanced over the rim of her cup with those deep blue, age old eyes. Wait. Hadn't hose been green before?  
"No, that is exactly what you should not, Madame Vastra."

"I beg your pardon?"  
"What?"  
Although it seemed impossible, the lady straightened up in her chair even more. "The Doctor is known for his wrong decisions but this is the worst he has ever made. I admit, at the beginning I was very pleased, but then I realized that something was missing. He is simply no longer himself. "  
Vastra's tongue slid over her lips. "You ... are you a friend of the Doctor?"  
"To declare our relationship as a friendship would probably be utterly glossed over. And although I use the word acquaintance, it is way too distant to describe it, too. There is no terrestrial word, I'm afraid."  
"I see. But you are close enough to him so he cares for you."  
She thought a second, then slowly nodded. "I suppose so."  
Jenny frowned. "So, If you are a friend, If he cares for you like one, I mean, why don't you just tell him that you don't like his decision?"  
"He chose this time-place. If he asked me for my opinion, he would have come to me. But he lives in the TARDS on a cloud above Victorian London, unconsciously knowing he has friends down here who only want the best for him. "

Vastra rose her equivalent of an eyebrow. Her cheeks were still a darker green from the exited compliments the lady Storyteller had blurted out the second the Silurian had lifted her own veil.  
"But how do you know that his decision is wrong, if I may ask. Maybe, he needs a break. A vacation. Everybody does. Me ,too. Even if the human society is surprisingly pleasant, they are still apes, pardon my dear."

Jenny made a non-commental noise.  
The storyteller's eyes sparkled. "I completely understand that, for obvious reasons. But this is different. See, the Doctor wasn't the first, neither the last young Timelord who went rouge. That's why nobody cared for him until he started to interfere with time. There was actually a really high amount of academy graduates who run away, just to return completely disillusioned a few centuries later. The light in their eyes were gone and they often became the most dutiful and addicted to our eternal society. Simply because they knew the meaning of eternity. Our isolation wasn't only caused by our power or because we choose it, it was primary because of our lifespan. There were few species living as long as only one of our regenerations and even less as long as our whole life. Believe me, if Gallifrey would still exist, the Doctor would go back, too. You have not seen the emptiness in his eyes. All the stars that burned there, they're all gone."  
Her voice grew more serious. "Help him."  
Her whole facial features, the long narrow sharp nose, the small mouth, the narrow but defined eyebrows, and the round chin, held a strange, dignified authority that caused jenny to shudder. "He is not made to stay in one place, and you both know that, you feel it."

"But how! You know how stubborn he can be!.. Do you?"  
"Well he is stubborn enough to trick himself into believing he is actually finished and retired. "  
"But, you just said he is."  
Lady Storyteller leaned forward.

"So why doesn't he return to Gallifrey? To be more precise, why doesn't he come back to his own species. Because every second there is a timeline in which he return to his wanderings, his true self. And the TARDIS knows that, and that's why she's here. Because every time he returns to be the Doctor once more, you two, three if you count that sonteran clone, are somehow involved. I don't know how you do it, but for him apparently being finished with the universe, there are way too much possibilities to return to save it. He is sulking. Nothing more, nothing less. Since 60 Years he is sitting on his cloud and sulks, hiding himself from the universe because he secretly knows that only one thing needs to happen and he will be back. I was at least able to convince him to come down here after half a century up in the sky. The rest is with you. He told you about me, he trusts you."  
She smiled absentmindly and somehow she looked like the ancient, alien being she truly was. "He told the most amazing stories. He lost that, too, you know. He's less talkative than an archivist in the depts of the academy's library."  
With a small chuckle the mask slid back into place perfectly. "I never thought I would miss that flood of words."

Jenny exchanged a look with Vastra. He was here since sixty years? All the time , he had been up there? Also, if the Doctor didn't talk anymore, something must be seriously wrong.  
"We will keep an eye out for him," Vastra promised.  
"Definitely," confirmed Jenny.  
The Storyteller nodded gracefully. "I thank you. I'm truly I your dept. Whenever there is something I can do for you, I'll be of service. And thank you for the gift of your time as well."  
Vastra smiled. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you, as well."

Jenny scratched her ear. "What're you going to do, now? If I may ask."  
"Apparently they plan to assign me into a mental asylum, but with the stories I've heard about this centuries methods of treatment, I rather avoid that."  
"So, you're simply going home."  
"Probably. Maybe with the inclusion of a little side trip. Do not worry. I have rather effective methods of convincing people to let me go."  
"Why don't you stick around a bit. You surely could help us."  
Her eyes sparked.

"I thank you for the offer, but the Doctor must not, under all circumstances ever become aware of my involvement here."  
Vastra rose the equaling of her eyebrows. "He doesn't know you care for him!"  
"He destroyed everything I hold dear. I haven't forgiven him, but he may get the impression if he finds out."  
Jenny shared knowing glance with Vastra, but both chose to keep quiet on that matter.  
Better not to irritate the last Timelady.

They talked for another two hours carefully getting to know each other and the Storyteller slowly living up to her name, until Abberline interrupted them to inform them of the end of his shift and therefore the end of their visiting time. But it was only until two weeks later, when they accidently met the Doctor down on the kais of the river and saw the dead emptiness in those once so burning eyes, they understood the slight tremor in the Storytellers beautiful voice whenever they spoke about the ancient wanderer.

* * *

 **AN:** Oh dear, an update!  
Yes, I'm not dead. I simply had other things to do.

But here we are. The first part of the two shot I promised such a long time ago.  
With Tella on the loose.  
Alone.  
In Victorian London.  
Don't ask me how she got there. And yes, at this point she cares deeply for the Doctor and values his friendship, but is still too stubborn to confess this to herself. Otherwise she would never go to such lengths to help him, she is easily convinced to help people, yes. But she is also very unforgiving and holding long grudges with the excellent memory of a… well, Timelord. Maybe I'll write her trip in another, separate story from here because that definitely has mature content. Spoiler: She currently uses a vortex manipulator.

Vastra and Jenny are very difficult to grasp, but I hope I got them. The meeting of the three of them is one of my favorite scenes with Tella and it exist in at least five different versions from her breaking into their house, to meeting them on the street and this one as the newest one.  
And yes, you've read that one part quite right. The Doctor threw her out after he realized her trying to power up the TARDIS to gain the information she needed to find the Paternoster Gang.  
Oh and please I have no Idea how long he actually was on that cloud, simply it being very long. To be honest in my head canon it actually were over 200 years, because guys, he himself calls it a very long time. It is a bit bizarre to think about how often he was in Victorian London in all his regenerations and all the time the eleventh hung out on that cloud, sulking in his TARDIS. So I trimmed it down to 60 years.

And I have a few announcements to make.

First: This fic is neither dead nor will I abandon it. At least not without a proper summary at the end about the storyline. I owe you that much. Because I have readers!  
Thanks to ComeHellOrHighWaterBringItOn for your fav, 500ml for following this collection and SilverGhostKitsune for your short but on the point review. I hope you enjoy this new chapter as well.

Second: I will revamp it. I still don't have a Beta, but a friend reading this and knowing Tella's full story advised me to publish those one-shots in chronological order. This little collection started out as a fun project, inserting an OC in different Episodes of the show as an what if. But Tella refused to stay that and now she is a full blown character with a development worthy of at least a chronological order to fully enjoy it. So be prepared for shots randomly appearing in-between the ones already posted. I will include a note on the beginning of the least chapter whenever this will happen. If you're curious, currently this fic has about 24 story-aces, seven of them already here.

So please enjoy, and as always read and review.

Greetings,  
Alkatie

PS: The following is pure ramble about season 10, because OMG!  
What a great season so far!  
I love Bill, and I really look forward to write her. Her TARDIS- interduction scene is currently my favorite one. I hate that she needs this long but those few seconds where she goes like " I know this is hard to believe. I know you're not exactly a sci-fi person…." BÄM! TARDIS. This is so awesome! She is wonderful and I already have some dialogues with Tella, which is always a good sign. Also her and the Doctor have some truly marvelous interaction and even better dialogue, in every Episode so far: I can't even choose which example to give. Her worrying about the grandfather-paradox in thin ice? Finally someone cautious about that. Her straight way of demanding answers and not letting the Doctor talking himself out of anything. Priceless.  
Which leads me to our Timelord, because him having Pictures of Susan and River on his desk? Also choosing Bill because she smiles whenever she's confused, just like his granddaughter. And this before even the opening titles?! Damn, Moffat! Also did you noticed how childish and exited he is while showing Bill the TARDIS and talking in that Australian restaurant about not being human? So sweet. I'm just a bit worried about that knack for illegal activities which appeared out of nowhere in _Thin Ice_. I mean he did steal the TARDIS and he always had a soft spot for pranks and tricks but still. Also him needing orders because he serves humanity, came also out of nowhere. Has it something to do with that mysterious oath he took? Or Clara being bossy? We'll hopefully see. He apparently spent 50 years at that university after all.  
And then there is Nardole. I hated him in Husbands of River Song And Return of Doctor Mysterio, but loved him in the pilot, just to hate him in the following parts again. Hmn. Anyway, he's just like Tella. Those two will surely be great together. But definitely steal each other lines. So maybe not.  
We'll see. First watching the next episode and hoping it will be as good as the others were so far.  
No emojys, by the way.  
Thank you, Doctor Who, for ruining just another harmless thing of my everyday-life forever.

30042017


	24. and old friends

**AN: This Fic is under reconstruction. New chapers will be added before this one, so this will always be the one you get linked to whenever you klick the link in the e-mail or the Button next to the Title. To find the new content please look in the descripion, I leave a note there. Thanks to BloodyGrimm and Chimmicherry for pointing this out to me.  
**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any recogniseable characters.

 **... and old friends**

(Sequel S.7 ep. 10)

 _A series of unfortunate events leads Amelia to a Person she hadn't seen in thirty years._

-o0O0o-

 **AN** : The following paragraph features the not too graphic description of a violent death. If you're uncomfortable with reading stuff like that, skip to the next paragraph sign. You'll still be able to follow the Story.

-o0O0o-

It had been such a wonderful evening, Tony mused absently while wearingly eying the gun pointed at Sally.  
The bar in the 91th had been the perfect spot for their Date, the kitchen was excellent, the cocktails good and didn't go to fast into your head and luckily today even their favorite Singer had been there.  
They had come here sooo often in the one and a half years of their relationship, and even if it was in one of the little bit shadier corners of the city, anything had ever happened to the young white couple. Until today.

Now they found themselves on this cold winter night in a side-alley with only some trash containers, the backdoor of the bar, the end of a fire escape and some dark figures pointing guns at them as company.  
"Look," he tried to keep his voice steady over his loves silent sobs, "This clearly is a misunderstanding."

"Hardly," the gentlemen with the red had ribbon smiled. It sickened Tony, that even when those five men clearly were none, their behavior and clothing still involuntarily let him think of them as such. And that was truly frightening.  
"You are Anthony Williams, aren't you."  
It was more a statement than a question.

Before he even was able to open his mouth they were interrupted by the opening of the backdoor and the noises of laughter and brawling.  
A woman stepped out, her face still hidden behind the door shooting something back to someone inside with a giggle. Still, Tony recognized that beautiful strange purple-red dress under that black coat immediately.  
Miss Fortaellenmaèr, the lovely singer of their favorite band. She closed the door, turned and froze.  
"Run. Jesus, please, run!"  
She rose a thin eyebrow at his scream. "My name is Marion, not Jesus."

He couldn't even react to that strange answer in that faint french accent, because instead of turning and running like any sane being she stepped forward to them. "What are you doing!"  
She didn't react and still came closer.  
Red-head- ribbon sighted and turned his head slightly, so he could see her from the winkle of his eye. "Young lady, I hate to admit, but that boy here is right. Please, listen to him, I don't want to cause you harm."  
She smiled a small charming smile. "Neither do I. So why not taking a step away from those two dearies and placing those nasty looking devices on the floor?"  
What the hell was she doing! "Shit, Miss Fortaellamaèr, run!"  
The man next to Tony showed a row of really bad teeth. "Ehm, no."

She hummed, then took another step forward with a sudden excitement in her eyes.  
"You realize how cheesy all this is? You know, dark alley, suspicious gentlemen witch strange tastes for clothing"- she pointed at the one with the ridiculous green pinstripe suit, then at red-had ribbon-" bad teeth, a young damsel in distress, an idealistic but also young protector and lover. Exactly like in one of these old cheap crime novels. I always wanted to be a character in a novel. On the other hand, maybe I am?"  
"Oh, so that's why you're still here. You're the hero." All of them laughed.

Miss Fortaelamaèr still smiled. It was strange how unmovable her polite charming smile was and still there were so many nuances to it… no. To her eyes. It was all in that strangely colored eyes  
"I'm no hero. Still, this is your last chance to take a step aside and lay that… thing down."  
"You know this..this is a gun. It can kill people. Make them dead." One of them slowly explained with a voice made for a four year old, not a woman at the beginning of her thirties.  
"One more reason to put it down, do you not agree?" Her accent had somehow changed from french to an unfamiliar completely different pronunciation and speech pattern.  
"Or what." Red-head ribbon laughed but there was an underlying of annoyance in that sentence. Not question but statement.  
She didn't give an answer or moved, simply smiled at them.

"Well?" Now he was clearly annoyed as he pointed his weapon at her.  
Sally chocked the singers name, but she didn't react.  
Still stood there like a statue smiling at them.

It was even creepier than having a gun on their heads, Tony decided.  
Even the gentlemen seemed to lean slightly away from this transfixing gaze without actually taking a step backwards. Even if they surely were tempted to do so. If the silent "What the hell", one of them murmured was any indication.  
Then appeared a single little triangle between the fine brows, before she looked up.  
She stared a few seconds up to apparently one of the windows and everyone followed her gaze but nothing was there. Until a loud crash and screaming voices broke the heavy silence and in the next second a cat jumped out of the window.  
And suddenly hell broke loose.

In the amount of not even four seconds all five of the shady men were dead or almost.  
Tony's mother always wrote about wonders, coincidences who changed lives, strange patterns in society who lead to certain events, but he ever believed in them. It was fiction.  
Magic wasn't real.  
And still, a more unfortunate series of events, of coincidences could not happened as in those nearly four seconds, saving the life of his two female companions and his own.  
And a lot of it had to do with the fact, that all of them had already released the safety catch.

The cat landed straight in red-head-ribbon's face, and after an screaming fight to shake her of his eyes were scratched out. In an attempt to help him the guy in the green pinstripe started shooting at the cat and the one with the bad teeth was caught in the crossfire, breaking down with a bullet in his knee. Simultaneously another one took a surprised step backwards, slipped on a frozen puddle right behind him and crashed his head on one of the trash containers. While falling down unconscious or maybe dead if the bad wound was any indication, his gun broke loose, too, and somehow in a cruel miracle, missed Sally's cheek by an fingertip and hit the one to Tony's left straight in the chest.  
The trash container meanwhile slipped backwards and crashed with a loud noise against the wall, and somehow these slight vibrations were enough to loosen the badly secured ladder of the fire escape. It vertically crashed down with full force, and the guy in the green pinstripe-suit never knew what hit him as it first crushed his skull and then his whole body underneath it.

A few seconds, way longer than the whole incident lasted, there was nothing but the silent horror and the pain of Sally's nails cutting in his arms as the both of them tried to comprehend what the hell just happened. All while waiting for that death retiling that still sounded out under the ladder to finally die down. And finally the moment the merciful silence took the man or what was left of him, the silent scream frozen on Sally's lips died down into a heart-wrenching whimpering.

"That took longer than expected."  
Both screamed, completely startled by the words, the singer completely forgotten.  
While the two of them had covered down on the floor in those few seconds of chaos, she stood tall and completely unaffected at the same spot she had been before.  
"What, dying after your head got crushed," Tony splat out. '  
Strange, normally he wasn't the one for sarcasm. But then, his mother was. Sometimes his father, too. And he had never felt this helpless, either.

"No, Misses Thorn. She normally gets angry way faster whenever the bar is getting too loud."  
She shrugged and stepped over the breathing but unconscious form of red- head-ribbon. She untied her scarf, while slowly coming over to them but before she could reach them, Sally screamed and recoiled.  
"What the hell are you!"

Miss Fortaellamaèr stopped dead in her track, then bend down on one knee, to be on one eye line with the couple cowering on the floor.  
Her movements were slow, careful as if not to startle an frightened animal.  
It could be soothing, if it weren't for the blood on the floor for which she didn't seemed to care a bit, kneeling in it while the beautiful fabric of her dress slowly turned red as it absorbed the liquid.  
But her voice, oh that voice…  
"Everything is all right, you are save now, Sally, right? The Police will be here soon. I am not going to hurt you and neither will one of them."

"They are dead," her voice was shrill, and Tony tried to soothe her but she pushed him away. "They are dead because of, hell I don't even know what exactly just happened and you… you just… Anthony."  
She started sobbing again and this time allowed him to hug her, stroking her hair and comforting her while he not once took his eyes from Miss Fortaellamaèr. She didn't point a gun at them, but her coldness , that warm smile despite being surrounded by dead or crippled bodies and still being able to hold this warm shimmer in those multicolored eyes…  
She perhaps was even more dangerous than those five before her.

But there was this sad, distant sparkle when she spoke, actually spluttered next.  
"I apologize. I, I did not…. I am sorry. Sometimes I, I forget. The war did.. I am sorry. I did not want to scare you, I…"  
"It's ok." Whispered Tony, and he meant it.

Miss Fortaellamaèr was French after all, or at least seemed to be. She was at the beginning of her thirties, somewhere between 29 and 33, which would have made her five to nine years older than him. She was born there, between blood and wounded or dead bodies, a child growing up in the horrors of the thing he only knew from the tales of his father, being born the year Hitler's dark campaign against the world ended. This was normal for her, stepping over dead bodies, hearing the grunting of the wounded, soothing the scared. She probably didn't knew anything else until the war was over.

"What?", whispered Sally too tired to be truly shocked by his reaction.  
"When did you leave France," he asked too tired to explain, too.  
"July 1943" Miss Fortaellamaèr whispered, "I'm sorry."  
"Oh," said Sally softly. And this time she didn't recoiled as the other came closer and slowly draped her scarf over her shoulders.  
"You're shaking, deary. It is all right, I did not want to scare you, and that fine young man of you surely would have protected you. Don't worry, the police will be here shortly and they will get medical attention , they will survive."  
"But.. but how is something like that even possible!"  
"She is right," Anthony murmured, "Something like this, it was an accident, yes but it's just not possible. This makes no sense!"  
"People call it a butterfly- effect, if I remember correctly. It seems, you two had immense luck."  
"Yeah." But somehow Anthony didn't, wasn't able to believe that. It just was a too big coincidence.  
But on the other hand, this raised the scariest question: what else could have it been?

-o0O0o-

The room was full of smoke, voices and music. '  
She maneuvered herself through the crowds of people before falling down on a seat at a little table in a corner. She let her eyes wander over the dancers, the tables and the bar, while opening her coat.  
No wonder Anthony liked this bar. It was clean with comfortable furniture and people of all ages and nationalities milling in the crowds.

It had been ages since she had an evening on herself, or with her husband for the matter.  
Literally.  
First there was the war, and of course Rory had to fight in it.  
And afterward they had a child to rise. So no, there weren't this much spare time for the two. And time went on, they didn't get younger.

She leaned back after a young waitress took their order and listened to the vaguely familiar singer in the purple and red dress.  
It was strange, she never liked Jazz, until they fell back.  
It was a bitter-sweet realization, she knew now another reason why the Doctor travelled in time so much. You only truly understood things by being there. This music had nothing to do with the Jazz from back then, from later. The old records with the crackling , shrill Music had nothing to do with the life, the reality and excellence of this handmade live-performance.  
Still, she eyed the singer warily, after all, she had hurt her baby.

Yes, Miss Fortaelamaèr had saved Anthony by delaying those idiots who tried to adduce him and therefore this creepy incident was able to happen.  
But in the aftermath he not only had lost his girlfriend because of it, but this experience also pushed him into an essential crisis about a higher existence which lead him into strange and unhealthy circles of occultists and other shady sects.  
He couldn't believe that something simple as a cat jumping out of a window did lead to a chain of coincidences resulting in the direct deaths of three and the crippling of two people.  
But as unlikely as it seemed, it wasn't impossible.

Amelia Williams, Amy Pond had seen things more unlikely, crazy and wonderful than such a strain of good or in the case of those Gangsters bad luck.

Bodies made of liquid flesh, developing their own consciousness and turning against their creators.  
Reptilian humanoids , the second intelligent species of earth, ruling it long before humanity and currently sleeping deep down in the earth, waiting to conquer it once more.  
An age-old creature carrying what was left of Britain's population on its back while traveling through space.  
Creatures you'll forget whenever you turn your eyes off them.  
Creatures turning to stone whenever you laid your eyes on them.  
And a mad man in a blue box.

But she could not tell Anthony anything of it.  
She tried, oh she tried, but he believed it all just her imagination. She had written half a dozen books about these things, after all.

She wasn't able to explain exactly why she wanted to see Marion Fortaelamaèr, but she needed to.  
To thank her? To hurt her, too?  
She didn't knew.  
She also didn't knew why she was this obsessed with that woman, it had been ten months after all.  
Maybe it was the challenge to actually meet her?  
She never backed down a challenge. And it was a hell of a challenge.

Miss Fortaelamaèr didn't live in New York but actually came from New Orleans all the way here, and that in no actual pattern.  
Nobody seemed to know why. She just turned up in the evening and sang with the band or sometimes called before she came so the owner was able to announce her. But she was so good, nobody complained about it, they just were happy she had chosen that little bar to perform without taking any fee for it. She certainly could.

Oh yeah, that voice was excellent. No typical jazz –voice, not raspy or deep, but still that warm comforting hum in it.  
A hum, Amy somehow knew.  
In fact, Miss Fortaelamaèr was more than a bit familiar, she knew her from somewhere.  
Other than Anthony's description of her, that's it.  
Maybe it was a not yet famous person she knew from _then,_ it already happened before.  
She closed her eyes and listened to the music, waiting, searching for a song that may give her a clue.  
She waited long enough t hear that voice after all.

In the ten months the singer had been announced four times, one time Amy had an appointment with her publisher and twice the concert suddenly was canceled the evening she had been there. She also had been out randomly, taking an evening stroll to the 19th but she never hit a day the mysterious woman was there. She had been on the way to an appointment earlier this day when she had noticed the colorful script on the blackboard outside the door and had taken her chance.  
And had been lucky.

And about three hours a few snacks, drinks ( non-alcoholic, she never drunk when without Rory) and one or two dances with a nice but boring lad later, the band changed.  
Amy watched the doors to the backstage when suddenly the young waitress put another cocktail before her.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't order that."  
"Oh, it's a gift," she grinned, " from the lady. She obviously noticed your attention."  
"Lady who?"  
"Lady Marion," she made a short movement with her head to the stage entrance.  
The singer in that strange red-purple shimmering dress, a coat slung over her left arm, a suitcase in her hand, talking to her laughing trumpeter.  
"Enjoy," the waitress winked and left. Somehow Amy got the feeling she missed something.  
Thoughtful she nipped at the blue-yellow liquid and to her surprise it not only tasted really good but apparently was without any alcohol in it. Somebody had taken track of her orders and she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Amelia Pond."  
She froze.  
Nobody knew her maiden-name, not here at last.

She turned her head to find the singer standing there, her full brown hair draped down over one shoulder, a beautiful smile on her long triangular face and a twinkle in her eyes. Those strange colored eyes, as if she couldn't decided which eye-color she wanted and simply took all four.  
Happy, friendly and exited but not quite able to hide the deep in them.  
Knowing and _old_.  
So old.  
Oh my…  
And then Amy noticed the fine necklace with the golden pendant on it.

Of course.  
Of course it was her.  
She hadn't change a bit.  
It was nothing but the unusual makeup and hairdo which prevented Amy from recognizing her.  
She never had worn makeup before after all. Nor her hair open, if she could avoid it, but yes, there still was that side-bang framing the left side of her face.

The Human breathed out unbelievingly, not able to find words.  
The Timelord beamed and spread her arms as an invitation which Amy promptly took.  
She didn't care about this completely untypical behavior but simply tried to comprehend the situation. '  
She laughed and shook her head, tears in her eyes. "Tella!"

-o0O0o-

Tella in fact had changed, not only her appearance but her behavior, too.  
It had been about thirty years since Amy saw her, even a bit more because she hadn't been there when the Angels took them from their Time, so she did notice the later before the former.  
But the moment she realized that Tella didn't look like her beginning twenties but the beginning of her thirties, everything made a lot more sense.

She was more open, that polite mask on her face had cracks, in fact she while speaking to Amy, she didn't wear it at all.  
She laughed openly or rose an confused eyebrow with her mouth slightly open and a shake of her head.  
And she _moved_.  
A tapping of her fingers against each other here, or playing with her earrings there, not that motionless statue she had been before.  
She still sat upright, still stiff but it seemed more natural.  
She was alive.

Not fully healed, but -for the first time since Amy met her- satisfied.  
It took a long time for a Timelord to age physically about ten years.  
After all, the Doctor had one time taken a 200 Year long tour without them and they hadn't even noticed until he slipped about his age.  
So Time is able to heal all wounds.

"But leaves scars. Why this particular thought?"  
Amy flinched "Sorry, I didn't want to say that loud."  
Tella ginned. "I noticed. Still, the question stands." She had beautiful teeth.  
Amy pondered a second how to best formulate an answer, even lying but there was something so open and trusting in Tella's old eyes, something she had never seen there before. So she just said the truth in pure Tella-bluntness. "It healed you after all."  
And Tella _blushed_.  
The Lady Storyteller blushed and cleared her throat awkwardly.

Amy started to giggle.  
Like a little schoolgirl, not like a woman in the beginning of her sixties.  
And Tella playfully slapped her arm. "Stop that. Yes, I admit, I may have changed a few of my views. But I'm not the only one. Where is Rory."  
"Oh, he's at the hospital, doing his shift."

"He's doing his nightshift and you use the time to enjoy the nightlife of Manhattan?"  
"What? Oh, no. He's a Doctor at the Metropolitan. 36 Hour shifts and all that stuff."  
"Thirty- How is that even possible, an turn of this planet only has 24! The Time I was a physician… Wait you use his dedication to his duty to amuse yourself? "  
"What, no of course…" And then Amy suddenly understood." No! Of course not. I would never cheat on Rory."

"You have danced with quite a few handsome men today."  
"Yes, only danced. You have danced with the Doctor, too."  
"They are strangers, not your friends."  
"Since when do you call the Doctor your friend?"  
There was the dangerous glitter in her eyes and it was even more fighting because she suddenly shut down completely, turned her face into that emotionless mask again.  
"Do not even try to use his cheap trick to switch topics."

Although she never thought she could, Amy had forgotten how dangerous, how blazing Tella's anger was.  
Especially since there hadn't been a single flicker of it in her eyes anymore.  
She slowly raised her hands in a calming gesture.  
"Listen Tella, Milady Storyteller, I'll never be able to betray Rory, I love him. That's why I can dance with others, even If he watches or not, I belong to him, we trust each other. Why should I? We're married."  
"He really loves you, you know." She still had a warning undertone in her voice.  
Amy nodded and carefully smiled. "Thank you for caring so much for him, but we jumped together from that building and I even let myself taken by an angel to be with him. I would do that again, every second of my life, if I had to. Jeez, that was sappy."

"Not at all," protested Tella, then sighted. "I'm sorry. It's just, it angered me to see you with somebody you didn't belong to, and after all Rory had gone through for you, the thought of you simply abandoning him was very unpleasant. I'm ashamed I ever thought so low of you, I should have known better. After all you're not a young irresponsible Teenager anymore. On the other hand, even thinking of doing something dangerous as an letting an Angel touch you again, definitely excludes you being responsible. But then you would not be Amy Pond."  
"And there I thought for a second , after all that time you've finally learned to proper apologize."  
"I just did. Which raises another question. Why are you here, if not for your own amusement?"

But _she_ had the privilege to always go mad whenever the Doctor brushed a topic away.  
Timelords.

Amy cleared her throat, as she suddenly remembered why exactly she had came here. "Actually, to speak to you."  
"Me? Why so? It did not looked like you knew my real Identity until I came over. Or did you?"  
"No, but.. It's because of Anthony."  
"The boy and his companion I recently helped out of that uncomfortable situation?"  
"Yeah. He's my son." As she saw Tella's unbelieving face she added: "Adopted, of course. We both know, I'm not able to get any children anymore."  
Tella beamed. "Amy, that is wonderful!"  
But then she noticed her expression. " Everything all right? What happened!"  
"You," Amy murmured before realizing her mistake.

Apparently this was a thing, Tella didn't come to terms with, yet.  
The Timelady blanched, her hands curled into fists, her pained gaze avoided Amy and fixed itself on her empty glass before her instead.  
"I.. I just wanted to help. Those rude… Humans, they…"  
"Tella, that came out wrong, I'm sorry. I'm grateful for your help."  
"I killed those people."

"It was a butterfly- effect."  
"I know. That's the problem."  
"Tella you could have done anything about it. You just were there for the right moment."  
"I am a.. My species does not wait for the right moment."  
"I'm sure… "And then it occurred to Amy that those answers did not make sense at all.  
"What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about, "asked Tella back, a strange expression on her face.  
The she closed her eyes and sighted before mumbling something in gallifreyan. It was funny, none of the things she and the doctor told about the Timelords indicated they knew any swear words, but Tella sometimes clearly cursed. It would be interesting to know the meaning of those words a species able to control time and timelines would come up…..  
Control of time and timelines.

How high was the potentiality of a chain of this many unfortunate events happening straight after each other?  
The potential of a cat jumping into the face of a person? Low.  
Two other persons getting randomly shot and hit? Very low, too.'  
A person slipping, and hitting his head. Also low.  
And this person causing a chain of events leading to another death. Extremely low.  
All these events together.  
Nearly Impossible.  
Maybe one single Timeline.  
Or even not a single one, but an artificial one, waved out of different possibilities, a carefully crafted story, webbed into the fabric of time by the Storyteller.  
She was capable of all this after all. And she had already informed the police before the whole disaster had even started.

"You did this. You changed the timelines. Again. Does the Doctor knows of this?"  
"If the Doctor knew of this, deary, I would spend my time chained to the zero room with the chip in my head activated again. I didn't changed the timeline, I simply urged it in another direction by actively participating in it. It's a difference. I swore to protect time and after the war I renewed that vow. "  
Amy gulped as she remembered the picture of the insane Timelady with the blind eyes chained to the floor in one specific Hotel-room.

"But then why would he imprison you."  
"Because he will realize my name, my old one. That's a rather unique ability of mine, you see. But lucky enough he is not here, nor will turn up in the next forty years. And I do not plan to use this monstrous abilities again. So It will be save to live here."  
"Well, Anthony believed a higher existence somehow influenced what happened. At least he was right with that. The influence, at least."

Then something else occurred to her a hint in what Tella just had said and Amy gulped. "Are you.. are you running away from him."  
Tella laughed. " No, no I do not. I'm simply stranded on this planet since about hundred, hundred-twenty years? Something like that. I still do not have my own TARDIS. Or any other traveling device than those provided by this time-place. At least until March 1978, there are some Syeilt'uritack coming down here and I intend to leave with them."  
"You live on earth since about hundred years? How the hell did that happen!"

"It's a rather long story. Everything started with the Doctor choosing to behave like a timetodd again, as always…."  
And then she started to tell from a sulking man in a blue box on a cloud, from worried friends and living snowmen.  
How she settled in Manchester as a physician, before working fifty years as a housekeeper for an blind woman, her travelling the world as she always had to change locations after a short time because of her permanent youth and her current pet project of a school for poor or underprivileged children in New Orleans.  
"But why are you here, in Manhattan. I mean, New Orleans is the City of Jazz but…. Oh. Oh, Tella!"

"Apparently I also forgot my lessons in attachment. But that's nothing new. At least not to those I consider family."  
"You are crazy."  
"That's my last regeneration, this one is quite sane, I assure you. Also only un till the 1930, if I remember correctly. New Orleans as the City of Jazz I mean. "

Amy laughed and shook her head, before she leant back and closed her eyes. "We will never see him again, will we."  
"You chose to never see him again," Tella silently corrected.  
"Yes," Amy sighted, "Yes I know. But that doesn't make it easier. Will you give him our regards when you see him again."  
"Of course."

She ignored the strange glitter in Tella's Eyes and sighted. "So.. what now?"  
"I have to catch my train. Or I search for a phone to call Madison to inform her I need a few days longer and stay with you and your spouse. You said I did something to him. If you wish I'll fully take responsibility for my sins and set the wrongs I did to him right."  
Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing and started laughing.  
"You let that sound like you.. I don't know froze him in a time-loop or something like that. You just urged his imagination in the wrong way…. And caused his girlfriend to leave him. Still the second sounds tempting. At least my son would never dare to treat me as a lunatic again."

"How disrespectful. I just wanted to apologize for scaring Sally away, she seemed to be a decent girl. But apparently she had her reasons if he dares to treat his mother like that."  
"It's ok. He's a very rational person, or at least was. He always called my stories fantasies and I can't blame him."  
"But you tried to tell him the truth. About the Doctor. And me. "  
"Yeah, but he rather believes in some spiritual mumbo-jumbo, than life from another planet."  
"Hmm. It seems you are in need for a private teacher who tells him a few stories."

She almost pitied her son, as she saw that malicious little smile on Tella's face. Almost.

* * *

 **AN:** I humbly apologize for any mistakes, I've never been to Manhattan.  
Here is the second part of the two shot. Amy and Tella talk very much, but they haven't seen each other in centuries. For one of them literally. And Tella clearly sees the Ponds/Williams as her friends now, obviously. And we get another glimpse why the Timelords feared Tella so much. I explain this in a later story more detailed. Obviously It wasn't WWII which caused Tella to accustom herself to such bloodshred.  
Anthony was adopted in 1946 as a baby so this roughly plays somewhere at the end of the sixties. In my headcannon Rory and Amy arrive around '39-40 and have to find each other first.

Thank you Zoey, I'll try to write as fast as my RL allows me. And be assured, there is way more ;-)  
As always read and review.

Greetings

alkatie

PS: I knew for sure it was Missy in the vault, the second the doctor asked her to eat Mexican with him. Nobody else would be this delighted about a Story featuring a house eating teenagers. But the Doctor suddenly being blind was a shock. It did made the meeting between Tella and Twelve more dramatic but funny though.

24052017


End file.
